“Will form govt with support of independent”: J&K BJP Chief Ravinder Raina

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], October 7 (ANI): Ahead of the counting day on October 8, Bharatiya Janata Party Jammu and Kashmir Chief Ravinder Raina on Monday exuded confidence that his party will be able to form the government with the support of independent smaller parties.

Raina told ANI that he is confident that the BJP will open its account in Kashmir as well.

“BJP has held a discussion with its counting agents and leaders for votes counting day. When votes are counted on 8th October in J&K, I am confident that BJP will win.

BJP will win around 35 seats in J&K and will be able to form the government with the support of BJP-supported independent candidates and independent smaller parties. I am confident we will open our account in Kashmir as well,” he said.

Former Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta told ANI that according to their projections, the BJP will emerge as the largest party in the Union Territory.

BJP leader Dr Nirmal Singh said, “It is exit polls, not exact polls. These polls were wrong before as well. BJP will get good numbers and form the government.”

Various exit polls have predicted Congress-NC being ahead in a tight race.

According to TV-Today C-voter projections, the NC-Congress alliance is likely to win 40-48 seats while the BJP can win 27-32.

Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti-led People’s Democratic Party is likely to win 6-12 seats whereas others can win 6-11.

As per Dainik Bhaskar’s projection, the NC-Congress alliance can win seats ranging from 35-40. The BJP can win 20-25 seats, PDP 4-7 while the others can win 12-18 seats.

Earlier on Saturday, PDP candidate from Lal Chowk Assembly seat Zuhaib Yousuf Mir hinted that they can join the Congress-NC aslliance to keep BJP out of power and told ANI that they are ready to take any step to save the identity of Kashmir.

The Axis My India has predicted a hung assembly in Jammu and Kashmir with the National Conference-Congress alliance slightly ahead and the BJP tailgating the opposition.

According to Axis My India, the NC-Congress alliance can win 35-45 seats whereas the BJP can win 24-34 seats.

Notably, the majority mark to form the government in the Union Territory is 46 and the prediction has shown no one above the mark.

The Election Commission of India said that an overall 63.88 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the Assembly elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

The counting of votes will take place on October 8. In 2023, the Supreme Court directed the Centre to hold Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir by September 30, 2024.