Exuding confidence that the Congress-NC alliance would come to power in Jammu and Kashmir with a “majority,” National Conference President Farooq Abdullah on Sunday said that it is a “great thing” that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is ready to join them.
When asked about the PDP leader’s remarks indicating that the party is prepared to join the Congress-NC alliance to keep the BJP out of power, he told ANI, “Congratulations to them, this is a great thing. We are all on the same track. Nafrat ko hume khatam karna hai, aur Jammu and Kashmir ko ikhate rakhna hai” (we need to end the hatred and keep Jammu and Kashmir united).
Farooq Abdullah, however, refused to comment on the exit polls and stated that on October 8, when the counting for the assembly polls is due, the results will be clear. “On October 8, all the results will be in front of you; the boxes will be opened, and we will know who stands where. But I do know this much: the Congress-NC alliance would be forming the government with a majority,” he said.
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Earlier on Saturday, PDP candidate from the Lal Chowk Assembly seat, Zuhaib Yousuf Mir, hinted that they might join the Congress-NC alliance to keep the BJP out of power, stating that they are ready to take any step to save the identity of Kashmir. He said, “As far as we are concerned, exit polls are not a serious activity but a time-pass activity. The PDP is confident that it will be an indispensable and important part of the secular government that will form in J-K. The 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, not with them.”
Various exit polls have predicted the Congress-NC alliance to be 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. The 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, the PDP 4-7, while others can win 12-18 seats.
The People Pulse survey has predicted 46-50 seats for the NC-Congress alliance and 23-27 for the BJP. According to them, the PDP can win 7-11, whereas others can win 4-6 seats. The Gulistan News projection on Republic TV estimated 28-30 seats for the National Conference, 3-6 seats for the Congress, 5-7 seats for the PDP, and 8-16 seats for other parties and independents.
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