The Election Commission declared the results of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections by Tuesday evening. The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) registered victory in 42 seats, while its ally, the Congress party, won 6 seats. These results contradicted exit polls, which had predicted that no single party or alliance would secure a clear majority in the Union Territory. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delivered its best performance in the region to date, winning 29 seats.
While speaking to the media yesterday, former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and JKNC leader Farooq Abdullah announced that his son, Omar Abdullah, would be the next Chief Minister.
In the 90-seat assembly, seven candidates won by thin margins, with their victory margins being less than 1,000 votes.
Congress candidate Nizam Uddin Bhat won the Bandipora seat by 811 votes.
Congress candidate Nizam Uddin Bhat | ECI
JKNC candidate Peerzada Feroze Ahamad won from Devsar with a margin of just 840 votes.
JKNC candidate Peerzada Feroze Ahamad | ECI
Another JKNC candidate, Sajad Gani Lone, secured the Handwara seat with a margin of only 662 votes.
JKNC candidate Sajad Gani Lone, | ECI
Independent candidate Payare Lal Sharma narrowly won in Inderwal by a margin of just 643 votes. Congress candidate Mohammad Zafarullah came third, trailing Payare Lal by 1,362 votes.
Independent candidate Payare Lal Sharma | ECI
In Kishtwar, BJP candidate Shagun Parihar won with a margin of 521 votes.
BJP candidate Shagun Parihar |
From the Pattan Assembly seat, JKNC candidate Javaid Riyaz won by 603 votes, with JKPC candidate Imran Raza Ansari finishing second, securing 29,290 votes.
JKNC candidate Javaid Riyaz | ECI
In Tral, JKPDP candidate Rafiq Ahmad Naik narrowly won by 460 votes. He faced tough competition from Congress candidate Surendra Singh, who received 10,250 votes, while Rafiq secured 10,710 votes.
JKPDP candidate Rafiq Ahmad Naik |
According to reports, Omar Abdullah, who won both seats in Budgam and Ganderbal by large margins, may take oath as the Chief Minister of the UT on Friday or Saturday (October 11th or 12th).
