Omar Abdullah, Vice President of the National Conference (NC), has secured his second seat in Ganderbal by a margin of 10,574 votes, following his earlier win in Budgam. His father and NC chief, Farooq Abdullah, announced that Omar is poised to become the next Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. The National Conference-Congress alliance has now crossed the majority mark of 46 seats in the 90-member House, with the NC winning 41 seats and leading in one, and Congress securing six.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won 29 seats, while the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) managed only three, signaling a significant decline in its political fortunes. Seven Independent candidates have also won seats, while in a surprise outcome, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) claimed its first-ever seat in the Doda Assembly constituency.
Today’s results mark a historic moment for Jammu and Kashmir, paving the way for its first elected government since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Exit polls had predicted a tight race, with no party expected to reach the majority mark. However, the NC-Congress alliance outperformed expectations, while the BJP held its ground in the Jammu region. The overall voter turnout was 63.45%, a slight drop from the 2014 elections but significantly higher than the Lok Sabha elections held earlier this year.
In 2014, the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election was highly competitive, with the PDP emerging as the single-largest party with 28 seats, followed by the BJP with 25, leading to a coalition government between the two parties. However, this election has seen the PDP’s influence wane, and the NC-Congress alliance is now set to lead the state into a new political chapter.
