Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana are likely to give a significant political message to the nation when counting of votes begins for the recently held Assembly elections in the state and the UT, early Tuesday morning.

Amid tight security arrangements, the counting will start at 8 am.

The two elections were keenly contested by major political parties. Jammu and Kashmir saw an Assembly election after a gap of 10 years. It was also the first after the historic abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution which gave the region a special status.

Both elections saw heavy turnout of voters. Elections to the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir Assembly were held in three phases which concluded on 1st October, while the single phase Haryana polling took place on 5th October.

In Jammu and Kashmir, the first phase voting was held on 18th September, second phase on 25th September and third phase on 1st October. The first phase recorded 57.31 per cent turnout, second phase 61.38 per cent and third phase 65.48 per cent.

The abrogation of Article 370 ending Jammu and Kashmir’s special status was a major issue for non-BJP parties during the campaign. However, promises to restore full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir were articulated equally by major parties. The elections were held under cover of heavy security.

Notably, in December last, the Supreme Court had ordered the Election Commission to hold Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir by 30th September, 2024, while pronouncing the judgement in the cases concerning the abrogation of Article 370.

Former chief minister and National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah, BJP chief Ravinder Raina, Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra and Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari are prominent candidates whose fate will be decided in the election.

The exit polls for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls predicted the NC and Congress alliance is likely to win 40-48 seats. According to TV-Today C-voter projections, the NC-Congress alliance is likely to win 40-48 seats while the BJP can win 27-32. Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti-led People’s Democratic Party is likely to win 6-12 seats whereas others can win 6-11.

Talking to a news agency, NC chief and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah said, “We will take support (from PDP), even if we don’t need it because we have to go ahead together.”

Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Raina said, “BJP will emerge as the largest party in Jammu and Kashmir and form the government.”

Meanwhile, Congress general secretary in-charge of Organisation KC Venugopal claimed that there is a clear threat to the people’s mandate in Jammu and Kashmir.

“The INC-NC alliance is on the way to a historic victory, but the BJP is not ready to digest the democratic verdict and is planning to subvert this through any and all means available at its disposal. We are vigilant to all their dirty tricks and will not let them hijack our democracy. The misuse of institutions and the Centre’s powers to alter the mandate will not be tolerated,” he wrote on X.

Election to the 90-member Haryana Assembly was held in a single phase on 5th October. Around 67 per cent turnout was recorded in the Assembly polls.

Exit polls telecast by different private TV channels, on Saturday evening, predicted a thumping victory for the Congress in Haryana.

In Haryana, according to the Republic TV-Matrize poll, the Congress may get 55-62 seats out of 90 seats, while the BJP is poised to win 18-24 seats. According to a People Pulse poll survey, the Congress may get 44-54 seats, BJP 15-29 and others may win up to 4-9 seats. Dainik Bhaskar in its poll survey has suggested that the Congress will get 44-54 seats, BJP 15-29 and others may get 4-9.

Prominent among the candidates from the BJP whose fate will be decided are Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and former state minister Anil Vij. Saini is the saffron party’s nominee from Ladwa constituency and Vij from Ambala Cantt seat.

Earlier, the Chief Minister exuded confidence that the BJP would form the government for the third time.

“We are going to form the government for the third time with a huge majority. This will be historic,” said Saini.

Key candidates from the Congress include former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and former wrestler Vinesh Phogat. Hooda is the grand old party’s nominee from Garhi Sampla Kiloi constituency and Phogat from Julana seat. A major contender for the Chief Minister’s post in the Congress camp besides Hooda is Member of Parliament Kumari Selja.

Exuding confidence of returning back to power in the northern state, Hooda, earlier in a post on X wrote, “The Congress government to be formed on 8th October will take the state forward on the path of progress with the blessings and trust of all the people of Haryana.”

The other prominent candidate is former Haryana Deputy chief minister and Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) leader, Dushyant Chautala from Uchana Kalan seat.

In the 2019 Haryana Assembly polls, the BJP won 40 seats, followed by Congress 31 and JJP 10.

Campaigning for the two Assembly elections saw several public speeches by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi.