BJP J&K Chief says party will emerge as single largest party
New Delhi: As the counting of votes for the assembly elections in Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir progressed, BJP’s Jammu & Kashmir Chief, Ravinder Raina, expressed confidence that his party would emerge as the single largest party in the J&K polls. Raina made these remarks during a live debate on India Today, even as the early trends showed a strong lead for the opposition.
In Haryana, the Congress was leading in over 60 seats and appeared poised for a sweeping victory with a substantial margin. Meanwhile, in Jammu & Kashmir, the National Conference (NC) and its allies, including the Congress, were leading in more than 50 seats, while the BJP was trailing with leads in about 25 seats.
Despite these trends, Raina remained optimistic about the BJP’s performance, expressing hope that the party would secure the largest number of seats in the final count. The vote counting continues, with both regions seeing significant political developments.
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Congress’ Chaudhary Lal Singh, noted for supporting Kathua rape accused, loses Basohli Assembly seat
Basohli: Congress leader Chaudhary Lal Singh lost the Basohli Assembly seat in Jammu and Kashmir by 16,034 votes to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Darshan Kumar, according to data from the Election Commission. Kumar secured 31,874 votes, while Singh, a former minister in the Jammu and Kashmir Cabinet, garnered 15,840 votes.
Singh had previously won the Basohli seat in the 2014 Assembly polls after switching from Congress to the BJP. He returned to Congress in March 2024, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Singh’s nomination had drawn criticism due to his participation in a 2018 rally in support of the accused persons in the Kathua rape and murder case.
In September, the Constitutional Conduct Group, a collective of former civil servants, criticized the Congress for fielding Singh, stating that his candidacy contradicted the party’s stand against the politics of hate.
The 2024 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections were the first since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. The polls were held in three phases, with a voter turnout of 63.8%. The Legislative Assembly has 119 members, including 24 designated for Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and five appointed by the lieutenant governor. A party or alliance needs 48 seats for a majority when the House has 95 members.
