As counting of votes cast in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections got underway on Tuesday, J&K National Conference (JKNC) vice president Omar Abdullah said he is confident that the NC will secure a victory in the polls.
Expressing his trust in democracy, Omar Abdullah "Poll rigging should not happen. People's mandate should be respected," he told NDTV, as counting got underway in the state, indicating a close fight.
#WATCH | JKNC Vice President and party’s candidate from Ganderbal & Budgam, Omar Abdullah says, ” We have the hope that we will win. The decision made by the voters of J&K, we will get to know by today afternoon. There should be transparency…if people’s mandate is against BJP,… pic.twitter.com/hZcv7EUhN9
— ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2024
Ahead of the commencement of counting of votes, Omar Abdullah had taken to social media platform X. stating that he hoped the results would reflect the "good fight".
JKNC chief Farooq Abdullah said on Monday that his party is open to a strategic post-poll alliance with the PDP to keep the BJP out of power. He also ruled out any chance of staking claim to the Chief Minister's post should his alliance win the election.
Here's wishing all my colleagues and allies the very best of luck for today. We fought the good fight & now, InshaAllah, the results will reflect that.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) October 8, 2024
When asked about any possible alliance with PDP, JKNC Vice President and party's candidate from Ganderbal & Budgam, Omar Abdullah says, " Neither have we asked for any support from them nor have we received any support…let the result come. Not sure why we are so restless, let the result come, right now nobody has the number…right now we are not in need (of their support)…once the result is out, we will analyse…"
The JKNC was among the parties that contested the first polls to be held in the Union Territory in 10 years. The assembly elections for its 90 constituencies were held in three phases – September 18, September 25 and October 1.
While the JKNC contested in alliance with the Congress, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) contested separately. The Congress-JKNC combine is predicted to win the most seats in Jammu and Kashmir, according to a poll of polls.
Key candidates contesting Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections are Omar Abdullah, who is fighting from the Budgam and Ganderbal seats, Sajad Gani Lone of People's Conference (from Handwara and Kupwara seats), Congress' Tariq Hamid Karra (from Batamaloo) and BJP state president Ravinder Raina (Nowshera seat).
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The other notable contestants are Congress leader Ghulam Ahmad Mir (Dooru), PDP leaders Waheed Para (Pulwama), Iltija Mufti (Bijbehara), who is the daughter of Mehbooba Mufti Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari (Chanapora), CPI(M) veteran Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami (Kulgam) and former deputy J&K chief ministers Muzaffar Hussain Baig and Tara Chand.
