BJP Pulls Off Haryana Hat-Trick, J&K Picks National Conference-Congress

Turning exit poll prediction on its head, the BJP has won 48 of Haryana's 90 seats. The Congress trailed at 37.  

Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party, which had high hopes of carving out a niche in Haryana, boosted by  its victories in neighbouring Delhi and Punjab, has failed to open its account. The party, however, had some success in Jammu and Kashmir, winning the Doda seat.

In Jammu and Kashmir, which elected its government after a decade, the National Conference and Congress alliance won 49 of the 90 seats - ahead of the halfway mark of 46. The BJP won 29 - all of them in Jammu.  

Congratulating the party workers and the people for the historic victory in Haryana, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "Wherever BJP forms government, the people choose them for a long time. Congress has failed to retain its position. I can't think of the last time they managed to secure a second term in any state since 2013. In some states, they have been out of power for over 40 years".

The National Conference won 44 of Kashmir's 47 seats, posting a steller performance not only in Kashmir Valley but also Pir Panjal and Chenab valleys.  

The Congress, which was hoping for a thumping victory in Haryana, an outcome also predicted by exit polls, has failed to do well in Jammu and Kashmir as well. The party won just five of J&K's 90 seats, all in Kashmir Valley, riding the pro-National Conference wave. In Jammu, where it was expected to go toe to toe with the BJP, it won just the Rajouri seat.  

The other big setback in the Valley was reserved for Mehbooba Mufti's Peoples Democratic Party, which exit polls predicted would play kingmaker in a split verdict. The party, expected to win at least eight seats, won just three. 

J&K's smaller parties and Independents, many of them backed by the BJP, won 9 seats. The BJP's state leaders had said their tally would add to the party's score and combined with the five MLAs nominated by the Governor, the party would be able to form government. 

While the Congress is yet to accept its setback in Haryana, jubilant BJP leaders have attributed it to the party's infighting and its treatment of Dalits and backward castes, pointing to its solid backing of Bhupinder Hooda instead of Kumari Selja. 

What also went in BJP's favour was the unexpected turn in terms of Jat votes. The Jats and the farmer community, said to be upset over the farm laws, the treatment of women wrestlers after sexual harassment allegations against a BJP MP and the Agniveer scheme, were expected to vote for the Congress.