One post, many aspirants: The story of polls in Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana

Exit polls showing edge to Congress and its alliance partners in both states; Results to be declared on Tuesday

With almost all exit polls predicting a Congress win in Haryana, the party’s Sirsa MP Kumari Selja on Monday indicated that she was in the race to be the chief minister. “Everyone has hopes and aspirations, which are in the public domain, and the high command is aware of it,” she said, adding that the decision of the Congress high command would be final. Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who served as the CM from 2005-2014, said he was “neither tired nor retired”, and that the final decision of the high command on the CM pick will be acceptable to all.

In Jammu and Kashmir, exit polls have predicted a hung assembly, with the National Conference-Congress alliance likely to fall short of the majority mark. On the eve of the counting, the Congress alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was taking ‘malicious steps’ through a ‘malafide exercise of power’ to negate the people's verdict in the Union Territory. On the possible nomination of five MLAs by the Lieutenant Governor, who could also play a role in government formation, Congress state unit chief Tariq Hameed Karra and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s Iltija Mufti said that would amount to ‘rigging the poll results’. With Independents and smaller parties likely to become crucial to government formation, NC leader Omar Abdullah said Lok Sabha member Sheikh Abdul Rashid's suggestion for delaying government formation till restoration of statehood was playing into the hands of the BJP which wants the Central rule in Jammu and Kashmir to be extended.

Haryana

10 interesting battles

Ladwa: Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini faces sitting Congress legislator Mewa Singh

Garhi Sampla-Kiloi: Congress’ Bhupinder Hooda, the frontrunner to be the CM if his party wins, faces BJP’s Manju Hooda

Tosham: Fight for former Haryana CM Bansi lal’s legacy between cousins Shruti Choudhry of BJP and Congress’ Anirudh Chaudhary, a former BCCI treasurer

Julana: Olympian Vinesh Phogat of Congress against BJP’s Yogesh Bairagi, JJP’s sitting MLA Anurag Dhanda and former WWE wrestler Kavita Dalal of AAP

Hisar: Industrialist Savitri Jindal, contesting as an Independent, faces Haryana minister and four-term MLA Kamal Gupta and Congress’ Ramniwas Rara

Uchana Kalan: Former deputy CM Dushyant Chautala of JJP versus former Lok Sabha MP Brijendra Singh of Congress and BJP’s Devender Attri

Ambala Cantt: BJP’s Anil Vij goes up against Congress’ Parvinder Pal Pari and Congress rebel Chitra Sarwara contesting as Independent

J&K

Ganderbal: Former CM Omar Abdullah versus Independent Sarjan Ahmad Wagay; Abdullah is also contesting from Budgam

Srigufwara-Bijbehara: PDP’s Iltija Mufti, daughter of party chief Mehbooba Mufti, versus NC’s Bashir Amhad Shah Veeri

Sopore: Independent Aijaz Ahmad Guroo, brother of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru against NC’s Irshad Rasool Kar

Kupwara and Handwara: Sajad Gani Lone of People’s Conference

Central Shalteng: Congress state unit chief Tariq Hameed Karra versus PDP’s Abdul Qayum Bhat