JK polls: NC, Congress to form govt?

Srinagar, Dec 28: The verdict of Jammu and Kashmir elections is out. The National Conference(NC) has emerged out as single largest party with 28 seats in the 87 seats assembly election. Omar Abdullah is seen as prospectiv Chief Minister in the possible coalition govt with Congress. 38-year old Omar told the he would prefer to make an alliance with Congress to form govt.

Congress has secured 17 seats. PDP has won 21 seats and its patron Mufti Mohammed Sayeed won from Anantnag by 5,000 votes. He was declared victorious from Wachi constituency.The party had 16 seats in the dissolved assembly, all from the valley.

Due to BJP surge in the Jammu region, Congress suffered a set back, which holds the key to next government formation, won 17 seats. In the last elections, Congress held 20 seats and shared power with PDP. 'Others' were ahead in 9 seats. After the 2002 polls, by a rotation formula, PDP headed the government for the first three years and the Congress for the next three years which was cut short towards the end when PDP withdrew support on the Amarnath issue.

Counting of votes in the seven-phased elections to 87 constituencies began at 9 am at 22 centres across the state amidst tight security. The seven-phased polls witnessed an unexpected high voter turnout of 61.5 percent despite a boycott call by separatists. An estimated 43% of voters exercised their franchise in the 2002 elections.

Governor's rule was imposed in the state in July following Chief Minister Gulam Nabi Azad's resignation after the PDP pulled out of the Congress-led coalition over the Amarnath land row.
Around 9.06 lakh voters decided the fate of 241 candidates.

Jammu and Kashmir poll results as follows

NC : 28
PDP :21
Cong: 17
BJP: 11
Others :10

OneIndia News (With inputs from Agencies)