BJP wins Jharkhand, second largest party in Jammu and Kashmir

The Modi wave seems to have worked again, underlining the surging popularity of India’s prime minister whose development mantra has struck a powerful chord with the electorate.

The Bharatiya Janata Party is poised to form the government in Jharkhand, India’s resource-rich eastern state. In Jammu and Kashmir, the BJP looks set to emerge as the second largest party after the PDP, the best performance by the party in the northern state that has been the site of a fierce electoral contest.

Latest trends coming from the ongoing counting of votes in Jharkhand shows the BJP leading in 41 seats followed by JMM at 18 in the 81-member state assembly.

In Jammu and Kashmir, the PDP is leading in 32 seats, followed by the BJP at 25 and NC in 11 seats in the 87-member state assembly.

With a hung assembly in Jammu and Kashmir, all eyes will be on the contours of the coalition government that will emerge in India’s strategically situated northern state. The PDP, informed sources said, is agreeable to forming the government with the support of the BJP. However, latest indications suggest that the BJP would prefer to be sit in the opposition due to ideological dissonance.

The BJP had trumpeted Mission 44 in the campaign, and was rooting to win a clear majority with 44 seats in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly. Against this backdrop, although the BJP has done exceedingly well, but falling short of the 44-seat target is seen as a bit of disappointment by the top BJP brass.

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