Srinagar. Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah said on Tuesday that the National Conference fought the assembly elections well and it is expected that the results will be in their favor. As per early trends, he is leading in Budgam assembly seat. Omar wrote on Twitter, “I wish all my colleagues and comrades all the best for today. We fought a good fight and now Inshallah, that will be visible in the results. Omar Abdullah is leading in Budgam assembly seat. He is contesting from Ganderbal and Budgam assembly constituencies. Early trends show that Omar Abdullah, National Conference’s Ali Mohammad Sagar and People’s Conference’s Sajjad Gani Lone are leading in Budgam, Khanyar and Kupwara seats respectively. In the initial trends, BJP is leading on 18 seats, National Conference-Congress on 14 seats and PDP on one seat. Counting of votes has started from 8 am for all 90 assembly seats in 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
The political fate of 873 candidates, including senior leaders of NC, BJP, Congress, PDP, PC, Apni Party, CPI(M), AIP and independent candidates, will be decided. There are 90 assembly seats in 20 districts, of which 9 are ST and 7 are SC seats. Chief Electoral Officer PK Pol told reporters that 28 counting centers have been set up in Jammu and Kashmir to count the votes of 90 assembly seats. Postal votes will be counted first. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha will nominate five more members to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on the recommendations of the Home Ministry. Of these five, there will be two women, two migrant Kashmiri Pandits, one of whom should be a woman and one will be a representative of refugees from West Pakistan. Like Puducherry, these five nominated members will have voting rights during government formation. Given this fact, any political party or group of political parties and independents require 48 members to claim a simple majority in the Assembly.