A close fight is underway in Jammu and Kashmir with Congress-National Conference alliance leading on 28 seats while Bharatiya Janata Party's tally stands at 23 while People's Democratic Party is at 3 seats. The saffron party has made a significant lead in the Jammu region while INDIA bloc is ahead in the Kashmir region.
National Conference leader and party candidate from Budgam and Ganderbal, Omar Abdullah is leading on both the seats whereas state BJP unit chief Ravinder Raina is also ahead in the race from his Nowhsera seat. However, People's Conference leader Sajad Gani Lone is trailing from the Handwara seat.
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Counting of votes is underway in Jammu and Kashmir under three-tier stringent security. The counting began at 8 am at 28 centres set up across 20 districts of the union territory.
The postal ballots were counted first at 8 am followed by the counting of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) after 30 minutes, said J and K Chief Electoral Officer P. K. Pole, reported PTI.
Two counting centres each have been set up for Kupwara, Samba, Jammu, Udhampur and Reasi districts, one counting centre each for Srinagar, Ganderbal, Budgam, Baramulla, Bandipora, Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama, Shopian, Rajouri, Poonch, Kathua, Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban districts while three counting centres have been set up for migrants.
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The voting took place in three phases for the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly first phase on September 18, second phase on September 25, and third phase on October 1.
AICC General Secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir (Dooru), PDP leaders Waheed Para (Pulwama), Iltija Mufti (Bijbehara), Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari (Chanapora), CPI (M) veteran Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami (Kulgam), and former deputy chief ministers Muzaffar Hussain Baig and Tara Chand are some of the other key candidates in the fray.