Jammu and Kashmir election results: 3 likely scenarios

Even as counting of votes for the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir assembly progress, let us take a look at the potential outcomes.

Scenario 1

National Conference-Congress alliance secures majority: Calls for the restoration of statehood are likely to intensify.

Scenario 2

National Conference-Congress emerges as the largest bloc but falls short of a majority: They may seek support from Mehbooba Mufti's People's Democratic Party and/or independent candidates, though differences could lead to an unstable coalition.

Scenario 3

The Bharatiya Janata Party becomes the single largest party. The BJP may look to form a government with the backing of independents.

The Congress-National Conference (NC) alliance, the People's Democratic Party (PDP), and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are the key contenders in the highly anticipated assembly elections, held five years after the former state of Jammu and Kashmir was reorganized into the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

The counting will determine the outcome for 873 candidates competing for a seat in the 90-member assembly.

Among the prominent candidates are NC leader Omar Abdullah (contesting from Budgam and Ganderbal), Sajad Gani Lone of the People's Conference (from Handwara and Kupwara), Pradesh Congress Committee President Tariq Hamid Karra (Batamaloo), and BJP state president Ravindra Raina (Nowshera).

Other notable candidates include AICC General Secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir (Dooru), PDP leaders Waheed Para (Pulwama) and Iltija Mufti (Bijbehara), Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari (Chanapora), CPI (M) veteran Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami (Kulgam), as well as former deputy chief ministers Muzaffar Hussain Baig and Tara Chand.

Exit polls released on Saturday place the NC-Congress alliance in a strong position, with the regional party projected to secure a significant portion of the seats.

Agencies