BJP predicted to win 2 Jammu seats, revival on cards for NC-Cong; PDP 0

JAMMU: BJP is likely to retain both the seats from Jammu region while National Conference and Congress alliance is set to pocket the other four seats, most of the exit polls predicted on Sunday as the seven-phase general election ended in the country, even as the polls had culminated on May 6 in the strife-torn state.

If the opinion polls are to be believed, there are thin chances of BJP winning the Ladakh seat from Congress, however, NC-Congress alliance is set to bag all the three seats of Kashmir Valley from PDP, giving a big blow to former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, who herself is contesting from South Kashmir’s Anantnag constituency.

Jammu and Kashmir has six parliamentary constituencies. In 2014, Jammu, Udhampur and Ladakh seats were won by BJP, while three seats of Valley—Srinagar, Baramulla and Anantnag were won by PDP.

The Times Now-VMR exit poll expects the BJP to win two seats in the northern-most state while the Congress and allies are predicted to get four seats. India Today- Axis My India exit poll gave BJP 2-3 seats, Congress 0-1 seats and NC 2-3 seats. In the ABP News-Nielsen exit poll, BJP is seen getting 2 seats, Congress 0, PDP 2, National Conference 2 seats.

While State unit of BJP seemed jubilant in its reaction to exit polls indicators, NC also agreed to the trends. PDP termed the trends as “only exit polls” while State Congress leaders were dismissive and alleged that the elections were “hijacked” by the ruling BJP-led NDA.

According to the News Nation Exit Poll, BJP will get 33 per cent of vote share, Congress 28 per cent, National Conference 14 per cent and PDP 11 per cent vote share.

However, the Times Now-VMR expects the BJP to bag 30.6% votes, PDP 10%, and Congress-NC alliance at 48.92% vote share.

The NC and the PDP didn’t contest from both Jammu seats fearing it would divide the secular vote and benet Congress. However, the strategy seemed to have failed as almost every exit poll has predicted return of Dr Jitendra Singh from Udhampur-Doda constituency and of Jugal Kishore from Jammu seat.

Congress had fielded Vikramaditya Singh and Raman Bhalla from these constituencies, even as BJP rebel Lal Singh, who fought on both seats, has not been able to turn the things upside down.

With Congress conceding Srinagar seat for NC chief Dr Farooq Abdullah, and a friendly contest between two parties on Baramulla and Anantnag seats, the pre-poll alliances between two parties, it looks like, has worked.

Incumbent MP, Farooq is a favourite from Srinagar, while Congress’ state president G A Mir is seemingly winning from Anantnag defeating PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, thanks to very poor turnout from areas which were once considered PDP bastions.

Muhammad Akbar Lone of National Conference is in all probabilities would emerge winner from Baramulla.

Congress’s Rigzin Spalbar is fighting in Ladakh against BJP's Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, with two independents--Congress rebel and former MLA Asgar Ali Karbalai and journalist-turned-politician Sajjad Hussain in fray.

Thupstan Chhewang of the BJP had won the 2014 election from the constituency by a wafer-thin margin of 36 votes, defeating independent candidate Ghulam Raza and two others in the contest. Chhewang resigned from the BJP and the Lok Sabha last year, accusing the party of not fulfilling the promises made to the people of Ladakh during the elections five years ago.

Both PDP and NC didn’t field their candidates and instead supported Sajjad Hussain, who is also a strong contender, even if the poll battle looks swinging between BJP and Congress.

Meanwhile, reactions in J&K were on the expected lines on Sunday to the exit polls predicting a strong pro-incumbency wave in favour of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The first to give his reaction was former chief minister Omar Abdullah, who accepted that all exit polls could not be wrong.

"Every single exit poll can't be wrong! Time to switch off the TV, log out of social media & wait to see if the world is still spinning on its axis on the 23rd", Omar tweeted.

The Bharatiya Janata Party camp in the state is jubilant.

Kavinder Gupta, senior BJP leader and speaker of the state Assembly, said: "This is the first election after independence that is going to see a pro-incumbency wave".

"This has been a vote for Narendra 'Bhai' Modi and he is the hero leading this wave. We have to perform better during the second tenure of Modiji and there is no doubt, we will do better to serve the people.
"Our campaign has mostly been carried forward by the voters,” he said.

Senior Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader and former minister Naeem Akhtar said, "All said and done, these are only exit polls. We must wait for the results on May 23. Having said that, whatever is the verdict of the people of the country has to be respected".

Yusuf Tarigama, senior CPI-M leader and former MLA, said, "We were hoping for a change. We all worked for that change, but the mandate of the people has to be respected. All I can say is that we are disappointed".

State Congress leaders seem dismissive. "The Election Commission has completely compromised its impartiality during these elections. We will wait for the results and then fight a legal and constitutional battle against the conspiracy that was hatched to highjack these elections", said a top Congress leader who wished anonymity.

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