Its verdict time in Jammu Kashmir

Srinagar, Dec 28: On Sunday, Dec 28 the final verdict of the people of Jammu Kashmir will be out. Counting began for the seven-phase long poll process to end the six month long Governor's rule and to establish a new government in the state. Defying the separatists a record 62 percent casted their vote in Jammu Kashmir. It is the highest voter turnout in 20 years.

The counting began at 0900 hrs IST and the trends will be clear by 1100 hrs. The state Assembly has 87 seats of which 50 are in Kashmir division and 37 in the Jammu division. This election will decide the fate of three former Chief Ministers of the state. They are Farooq Abdullah of National Conference, PDP's (Peoples Democratic Party) Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Congress's Ghulam Nabi Azad. Also are in the contest Omar Abdullah of National Conference and Mehbooba
Mufti of the PDP.

Reports suggest that election experts are predicting a hung Assembly in Jammu Kashmir. If it turnout to be a hung Assembly former Chief Minister and Congress member Azad will be the kingmaker. Bharatiya Janata Party aka BJP which is expecting a hung Assembly said that it will join hands with those people and party which are sympathetic to the peopleof Jammu.

Meanwhile, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the separatists leader said that the high voter turnout in the state is a lesson for separatists who had called for a boycott of the polls.

OneIndia News (With inputs from Agencies)