SRINAGAR/RANCHI : Jammu and Kashmir today returned a hung verdict with PDP as a dominant party that can tie up either with the Congress or BJP in forming the Government as BJP and its allies appeared headed for capturing power in Jharkhand.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vigorous campaign in Jammu and Kashmir failed to make a breakthrough in the Valley but made it a dominant party in the Jammu region where it has won three seats and is ahead in 22 of the 37 seats.
The PDP, which has emerged as the single largest party in Jammu and Kashmir winning is ahead in 33 seats including two seats already in its bag, appeared to be in the pole position to form the government in the 87 member Assembly.
The party headed by Mufti Mohammed Sayeed can choose to form the government either with the support of Congress which is leading in 11 seats and has won one seat or the BJP. The Congress and PDP had formed a government together in 2002.
The ruling National Conference suffered a rout plummeting from 28 seats it won in 2008 to 11 including one seat in its bag. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah lost from Sonawar, one of the two seats he contested from while trailing in Beerwah.
Interestingly, senior PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Beigh gave mixed signals when he said it would be easier for his party to go together with Congress than BJP but felt that BJP cannot be treated as an “untouchable”.
On the other hand, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who led the party’s campaign in the state, said it was “open” to aligning with PDP.
In Jharkhand, the BJP and its ally AJSU headed by Sudesh Mahto were well on the road to forming a coalition government. The BJP was leading in 35 seats of the total 81 seats while AJSU was ahead in four seats.
With just two seats short of majority, the two may have no difficulty in staking claim with support from small parties and independents who account for 10 seats including six of JVM(P) headed by former BJP Chief Minister Babu Lal Marandi.
The ruling JMM, ironically, put up a better show leading in 19 seats and winning one against 18 it had won in the last elections. Chief Minister and JMM candidate Hemant Soren is leading in Barhait constituency but is trailing in Dumka, the other seat he is contesting. (AGENCIES)
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