Foes Before Elections, Friends After Exit Polls? Here's What PDP Said About Joining Congress-NC Alliance

As per the exit polls, the Congress and NC alliance is likely to get 40 to 48 seats, while the PDP is expected to get 6 -12 seats. The BJP is likely to get 27 to 32 seats.

Jammu Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024: The exit polls for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections were released on Saturday, indicating a high possibility that the Congress and National Conference alliance might form a government in the Union Territory. However, shortly after the exit polls were announced, Mehbooba Mufti-led People's Democratic Party said that it was ready to extend its support to the alliance to stop BJP from forming a government, in case the final outcome is a hung Assembly.

PDP made the offer despite the continuous war of words between Mufti and Omar Abdullah ahead of the Jammu Kashmir elections, and the latter mocking her for making an offer for coalition.

According to India Today CVoter exit polls, Congress-National Conference alliance is likely to secure anywhere between 40-48 seats of the 90 seats. Bharatiya Janata Party, on the other hand, is likely to secure 27-32 seats. The alliance is predicted to bag 38.7 percent of the votes.

The CVoter exit poll shows the NC might bag 33 seats independently, while the PDP, which was the single-largest party in 2014, might just have to make peace with 6-12 seats, which is a major downfall from the 28 seats it bagged in the last polls, a decade ago.

News 24-Chanakaya projected 35-40 for the NC-Congress, 20-25 for BJP, 4-7 for the PDP and 12-6 others. Republic TV - P Marq projected NC-Congress was expected to form the government with 55-62 seats. The BJP is likely to get 18-24 and others 2-5 seats.

The assembly elections were held across three phases on September 18 and 25 ,and the third and final phase on October 1. Counting of votes will be held on October 8. 

With all eyes on the results now, it will be interesting to see how things unfold especially as the PDP, which had contested the Assembly polls independently, has expressed its interest in supporting the Congress-NC alliance once again after the exit polls were announced. Besides PDP, independents fielded by Engineer Rashid are also likely to play the role of a kingmaker. A party or an alliance needs 46 seats to form the government.

According to sources, PDP might extend support to Congress-NC to stop BJP from forming a government. PDP sources told ABP that "if need arises then PDP will support Congress and NC to form government". The development came after the exit polls showed that the Congress-NC alliance is attaining a majority. However, PDP believes that the alliance would require its help as per the vote percentage. 

Mufti's Offer To Congress-NC Ahead Of J&K Polls

In August, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti had offered to support the Congress-NC alliance, saying that if they are ready to accepted PDP's agenda then it will follow them and let them contest on all the seats.

"Forget about alliance and seat-sharing, if the Congress and the National Conference (NC) are ready to accept our agenda — that resolution of the Kashmir issue is necessary and on opening of routes — we will tell them to contest on all the seats and we will follow you," she had said.

Following this, Omar Abdullah had hit back at Mufti, asking her to instead stop fielding candidates against the Congress-NC nominees. He also alleged that the PDP had copied his party's manifesto.

"You have already accepted our agenda and now there is not much of a difference between your agenda and our agenda. Then do not field candidates and come, we will build a better tomorrow for Jammu and Kashmir," he had said.

Abdullah said that the PDP's agenda included promises to provide 200 free units of electricity and provide one lakh government jobs in a year, which he claimed was replicated from his party's manifesto.

Ravinder Raina Says BJP To Form Govt In J&K

Despite the exit polls showing a clear win for the Congress-NC, BJP J&K president Ravinder Raina claimed that the BJP will emerge as the single largest party on October 8 and form a government.

 "I am confident that BJP will emerge as the single largest party in Jammu & Kashmir on 8th October. J&K's next government will be of BJP," he said.

Earlier today, NC Vice President said that he does not believe what the exit polls say. "I’m ignoring all the noise on channels, social media, WhatsApp Etc because the only numbers that matter will be revealed on the 8th of Oct. The rest is just time pass," he said.