Haryana, J&K Assembly elections results today: Congress confident, BJP hopeful

According to India Today-CVoter exit poll, the Congress is up for a strong showing in the Haryana Assembly election, and is expected to win a comfortable majority with 50-58 seats in the 90-member Assembly.

In Short

• Counting of votes in Haryana, Jammu-Kashmir to begin at 8 am
• Exit polls predict clear majority for Congress in Haryana
• Jammu-Kashmir may see hung Assembly, according to exit polls

Political parties and leaders wait with bated breath as the results for Assembly elections in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir will be announced on Tuesday, October 8. Both Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir are witnessing a bipolar contest, though some regional players and independents are expected to play a decisive role in the government formation.

According to India Today-CVoter exit poll, the Congress is up for a strong showing in the Haryana Assembly election, and is expected to win a comfortable majority with 50-58 seats in the 90-member Assembly. Other exit polls too predicted a majority for the Congress.

However, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini rejected the exit poll results, and claimed the BJP would form the government for a third time with a full majority on October 8.

On the other hand, Congress leader and former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, a frontrunner for the chief minister's post if his party wins, exuded confidence of a comfortable majority.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal, whose party contested Haryana polls on its own, has been claiming that no government can be formed without his party's support.

In Jammu and Kashmir, which witnessed Assembly election for the first time in 10 years, the Congress-National Conference alliance has expressed confidence in forming the next government in the Union Territory.

The India Today-CVoter exit poll predicted a hung assembly with Congress-National Conference alliance holding the edge. While the alliance is expected to be in pole position in the Kashmir Valley, the BJP is likely to retain its strong presence.

Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Ravinder Raina said his party would emerge as the single largest, securing 35 seats. With the help of independents and like-minded groups, the BJP would cross the majority mark, he said.

However, Jammu and Kashmir Congress unit chief Tariq Hameed Karra said the party’s alliance with the National Conference had the edge.

"People have voted for the NC-Congress alliance as we expected. We are confident of forming the government in Jammu and Kashmir," Karra said.

“From day one, we anticipated forming the government and this is also the expectation of the people of Jammu and Kashmir," he added.