Jammu and Kashmir Elections: PDP keeps NC guessing on support, BJP reaches out to Independents

Exit poll predicts National Conference-Congress edge in a tight contest

People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti on Monday sought to clarify the party’s stand after National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said their doors were open to the party in case of a hung Assembly in Jammu and Kashmir, where election results are due on Tuesday.

Abdullah said his party will accept support from PDP even if it doesn't need it to form a government in the Union Territory. "Even if we don't need it, we will take the support (from PDP) because if we have to go ahead, we have to do it together. We all have to make an effort to save this state. This state is in a lot of difficulties," he told ANI.

Responding to the remark by Abdullah, Mufti, the daughter of former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, said that its senior leadership will take a call on joining the Congress-NC alliance after the election results are announced.

"Unnecessary speculation. Let me put the record straight. PDP's senior leadership will take a call on extending support to a secular front only once the results are out. This is our official stand," she posted on the social media platform X.

Her response came after PDP candidate Zuhaib Yousuf Mir hinted that his party could join the NC-Congress alliance to keep the BJP out of power after exit polls predicted the alliance to zoom past ahead in a tight contest.

"As far as we are concerned, exit polls are not a serious activity but a timepass activity. PDP is confident that it will be an indispensable and important part of the secular government that will form in Jammu and Kashmir. PDP will have an important role in forming any secular government. We had said that we are ready to take any step to save the identity of Kashmir but for this, it is important that we formulate a secular government, a government against the BJP," Mir told news agency ANI.

She also said giving power to the Lieutenant Governor to nominate five members to the Jammu and Kashmir assembly was a "brazen pre-result rigging" of the polls.

"All of the five MLAs nominated by the L-G are BJP members or associated with the party. Brazen pre result rigging & shameful manipulation," Mufti posted.
She said it seems no lessons were learned from the rigging of 1987 elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

"Might as well have nominated all 90 members instead. Why even hold elections? 1987s stolen election took J&K to the brink. Yet no lessons learnt?" she said.

This was the first election after J&K lost its statehood in 2019. It recorded an overall turnout of nearly 64 per cent. The Union Territory voted in three phases on September 18, 25 and October 1. The counting of votes for the 90-member Assembly will take place on Tuesday.

According to exit polls, J&K is likely headed for another hung assembly, with no clear majority to any of the major parties. Some exit polls. However, some exit polls have predicted that the National Conference-Congress alliance may win the assembly polls in J&K.

What does BJP say?

However, J&K BJP chief Ravinder Raina on Monday said his party will emerge as the single largest party in the region by securing 35 seats. “BJP has supported 15 independent and like-minded candidates, but we have no ties with Engineer Rasheed’s party. They (Independents and like-minded groups) will score a victory. We will be the largest voted party in Jammu and Kashmir,” Raina told News18.