Election Results 2024 Live: NC–Congress set to seize power in J&K, BJP eyes third term in Haryana

As early trends emerge, Jammu and Kashmir appears to be leaning towards a Congress-National Conference alliance victory, while Haryana is shaping up to be a tightly contested battleground. The BJP, aiming for a third term, is locked in a tough fight with the Congress, according to trends. In Jammu and Kashmir, where elections were held after a decade, National Conference-Congress alliance is poised to form the government, as Independents and smaller parties, often considered BJP allies, fail to gain significant ground. This was also the first assembly poll after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. NC-Congress alliance was leading on 48 seats. In Haryana, it's a tense, back-and-forth race, with leads shifting between Congress and BJP. At present, the BJP holds 46 seats, with the Congress close behind at 40.

Sharing reactions on the Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir assembly elections, Congress leader Pawan Khera said, "We are fully confident that we will be celebrating with sweets like laddoos and jalebis all day today. We even plan to send some jalebis to Prime Minister Modi. We are certain that we will form the government with a majority in both Jammu & Kashmir and Haryana."

INLD is leading on three seats, and independent candidates are ahead on eight seats as votes are being counted for the the 90 assembly seats in Haryana

Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini was leading from his Ladwa seta in Kurukshetra district, while Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda was ahead of his rivals in Garhi Sampla-Kiloi constituency in Rohtak district.

Aditya Surjewala, the Congress candidate from Kaithal, Haryana aserted that the Congress party will win around 60 seats and BJP will come down to 15 seats, as no other party will win any other seats.

"We have kept 7 promises and it has touched the hearts of people. Because of BJP, inflation has risen so much that it has become so difficult to run a household," Surjewala told media outside the counting center.

Haryana's Chief Electoral Officer Pankaj Agarwal said three-tier security arrangements were in place at counting venues. Postal ballots will be counted first, followed by the counting of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) after 30 minutes, he said.

Both states have 90 seats each, making 46 the majority mark. But in Jammu and Kashmir, the Lieutenant Governor's power to nominate five more members to the assembly has raised concern