The counting of votes for the Legislative Assemblies of Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir kicked off on October 8. The Congress has crossed the halfway mark in the State as well as in the Union Territory, as per the early trends. If these numbers hold true, the BJP will suffer a significant setback in both states, particularly in Haryana where it has been in power for the last 10 years.
Jammu and Kashmir: Congress-NC alliance leads in 44 seats
In Jammu & Kashmir, Congress and National Conference alliance is leading in 44 seats while the BJP is leading in 26 seats. Mehbooba Mufti’s PDP, which formed the government in 2014, is leading in just three seats.
Haryana: Official Election Commission trends coming in for 60 of the 90 Assembly seats
BJP is leading on 30, while Congress on 28, INLD on 1, and Independent candidate on 1.
Haryana: Now, the BJP leads in 46 seats in Haryana, with Congress a close second at 41 seats.
J&K: Trends from the counting of votes show former deputy CM and Cong candidate Tara Chand trailing Independent Satish Sharma in Chhamb.
Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Ravinder Raina trailing in Nowshera constituency, NC’S Surinder Kumar leading by 2,797 votes, as per the Election Commission.
Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan leads from Hodal
Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan is leading by 637 votes against BJP’s Harinder Singh from Hodal constituency.
According to early trends, Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda is leading from the Garhi Sampla seat.
According to early trends by ECI show that the BJP has crossed the halfway mark in Haryana, with leads in 46 seats against Congress’s 38.
Jammu and Kashmir: National Conference-Congress ahead in the UT
The alliance in Jammu and Kashmir was ahead in 49 seats as vote count is currently underway, as per ECI.
Haryana: Congress leader and former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda speaks on the early trends.
“I am going to the counting station (centre) at the moment. Will talk afterwards,” said senior Congress leader and former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda.
Congress MP Kumari Selja said, “As the counting progresses, the Congress party will form the government and we will win more than sixty assembly seats.”
As per the latest Elections Commission updates, BJP crosses the majority mark in Haryana, leading on 46, while Congress leads on 33, INLD and BSP on 1 each.
“These are early (trends). At one point, you will see Congress gaining (votes) greatly. I would say that Congress will form the government with an overwhelming majority. It’s just the third or fourth round, 10 (rounds) more to go,” said Congress leader Kumari Selja.
VIDEO | Haryana Election Results 2024: “These are early (trends). At one point, you will see Congress gaining (votes) greatly. I would say that Congress will form the government with an overwhelming majority. It’s just the third or fourth round, 10 (rounds) more to go,” says… pic.twitter.com/FaqHlGT5nu
Speaking to reporters, former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that he was confident in his party winning the Assembly polls in the state, despite the BJP crossing the halfway mark as per the early trends. He further said that the Congress will form the government in the state with a majority and added the Chief Ministerial face will be decided by the party’s top brass.
“Credit goes to the party, Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, all party leaders and people of Haryana,” Hooda added.
As per the official trends released by the Election Commission of India, Congress candidate Vinesh Phogat is trailing from Julana seat.
Former Deputy CM and JJP candidate Dushyant Chautala is trailing on 6th position, in Uchana Kalan after round 4/16 of counting, as per latest EC data.
Jammu and Kashmir: Omar Abdullah leads in both seats
Jammu and Kashmir National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah continues to lead in both seats – Budgam and Ganderbal, as per official EC trends.
On Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir early trends, senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said, “Their (BJP) position has become very weak… Congress government will be formed at both the places (J&K and Haryana).”
BJP leads on 49 seats in Haryana, Congress on 33
The BJP continues to lead in Haryana and crossed the halfway mark in 90-member Assembly. The BJP is leading in 49 seats, while the Congress party is leading in 33 seats.
“I am confident that Congress government will be formed. The figures haven’t been updated on EC website for quite some time,” said Congress leader Supriya Shrinate.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor speaks on Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir election trends
“We have to wait and see. We shouldn’t make a premature conclusion right now. At the moment, they (BJP) seem to be leading in a majority of the seats (in Haryana) which is a genuine surprise. Certainly, the whole exit poll industry must be in a deep disgrace. Honestly, let us wait for the final results. My own feeling is that the signs in Haryana are not what we were expecting and are better than what INDIA block was expecting in Jammu & Kashmir,” Tharoor told reporters.
BJP leader Anil Vij sang ‘Main zindagi ka saath nibhata chala gaya’ during his interaction with supporters in Ambala amid trends showing his party leading in Haryana.
Haryana BJP leader Vipul Goel is leading in Faridabad seat, while Congress leader Lakhan Kumar Singla trailing after 6/18 rounds of counting, as per the latest EC data.
Criticising the outdated and misleading trends on the ECI website, the Congress leader, in a post on X, said, “Like the Lok Sabha elections, in Haryana we are again witnessing slowing down of uploading up-to-date trends on the ECI website. Is the BJP trying to build pressure on the administration by sharing outdated and misleading trends @ECISVEEP?”
In a close contest, Congress candidate Vinesh Phogat is leading from Julana constituency, by a margin of 5909 votes, after round 14/15 of counting, as per the latest EC data.
The Haryana BJP workers were celebrating at the party office in Ambala, as the party is leading on 51 of the 90 seats.
#WATCH | Haryana: BJP workers celebrate at party office in Ambala, as counting continues. As per the latest EC data, the party is leading on 51 of the 90 seats. pic.twitter.com/bINUniFCCn
Jammu and Kashmir National Conference president Farooq Abdullah meets party workers at his residence in Srinagar
NC president Farooq Abdullah met party workers at his residence in Srinagar, as the National Conference-Congress alliance is likely to form government in Jammu and Kashmir with poll trends showing the combine ahead in 51 of the 90 seats while the BJP was leading in 28.
National Conference leader Tanvir Sadiq was officially declared as a winner from the Zadibal Assembly constituency.
NC vice president and former CM Omar Abdullah secures unassailable lead in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam.
Congress leader Vinesh Phogat has won the Julana Assembly seat by 6,015 votes, as per the Election Commission. In her first-ever election, she defeated BJP’s Yogesh Kumar.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister
NC president Farooq Abdullah said his son and party vice president Omar Abdullah will be chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
“It (referring to NC’s decision to form an alliance with Congress) was very good decision, we stand with India and we don’t stand alone. If the state has to progress, we’ve to stand with the rest of the nation, so that we could remove the tragedies that have occurred in these 10 years,” said National Conference president Farooq Abdullah as trends show Congress-NC alliance heading towards victory.
According to the Election Commission of India, NC vice president Omar Abdullah has won the Budgam seat, defeating PDP’s Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi by more than 18,000 votes.
Vinesh Phogat wins from Haryana’s Julana seat
“Now that I have entered here, I will continue here. People have given me their love, I will have to work for them on ground. It is not possible to work on both simultaneously (politics and wrestling),” she said after winning the Julana seat.
On her victory, wrestler Bajrang Punia said: “Many congratulations to the country’s daughter Vinesh Phogat for her victory. This fight was not just for one Julana seat, it was not just with 3-4 other candidates, it was not just a fight between parties. This fight was against the strongest oppressive forces in the country. And Vinesh emerged victorious.”
BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh speaks to the media on Haryana elections results
“I would like to thank the people of Haryana. Many efforts were made to mislead the people of Haryana in the name of protests of farmers and wrestlers. However, people have praised the policies of BJP,” said BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh as the party appears set for a record third term in the state.
Hardeep Singh Puri elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has been elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh after the nominations of two other candidates, including a Congress-backed nominee, were rejected.
Union Petroleum Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Hardeep Singh Puri has been elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh. The announcement was made on Thursday after the deadline for withdrawal of nominations ended, leaving Puri as the only candidate in the contest.
Puri’s election followed the rejection of nomination papers filed by two other candidates, Kante Sayanna and Rajkumar Lohani, who was backed by the Opposition Congress. Their nominations were rejected during the scrutiny process, making Puri the sole candidate remaining in the fray.
Returning Officer Umesh Sharma formally declared Puri elected to the Upper House of Parliament. Madhya Pradesh BJP president Hemant Khandelwal collected his certificate of election from the returning officer in the presence of party MLA Rameshwar Sharma.
Why Hardeep Singh Puri was elected unopposed
The Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha bypoll witnessed three candidates initially entering the contest. However, the nomination papers of the two other candidates did not clear scrutiny.
Kante Sayanna and Congress-backed candidate Rajkumar Lohani had their nominations rejected during the examination of election papers. With both candidates out of the contest, Puri remained the only candidate.
As a result, the returning officer declared him elected unopposed on the final day of withdrawal of nominations on November 5.
The bypoll, if required, had been scheduled to take place on November 12.
Why the Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha seat fell vacant
The by-election became necessary following the resignation of former Union minister L Murugan from the Rajya Sabha last month.
Murugan’s departure created a vacancy in the Upper House from Madhya Pradesh. His original term was scheduled to continue until April 2, 2030.
The BJP subsequently nominated Hardeep Singh Puri as its candidate for the by-election.
Puri, a former diplomat who later entered politics, currently serves as the Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
Amit Shah challenges Rahul Gandhi to debate SIR in Parliament
Amit Shah responded to Rahul Gandhi’s public debate challenge by inviting him to discuss the SIR exercise in Parliament. He also criticised the Congress over its demand for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has challenged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to take up his demand for a public debate with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament, saying the government is ready to convene a special session to discuss the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
Addressing a rally in Haryana’s Karnal, Shah directly responded to Gandhi’s challenge to the Prime Minister, asking the Congress leader to write to PM Modi if he wanted a discussion.
“I want to challenge Rahul Gandhi directly. You challenge PM Modi for a discussion? If you want a discussion, simply write a letter to PM Modi. We are ready to convene a special session of Parliament to discuss the SIR exercise… Come and debate in Parliament,” Shah said.
The remarks came two days after Rahul Gandhi issued another public debate challenge to the Prime Minister.
On November 3, Gandhi wrote in a post on X that PM Modi could choose any stage or venue for a discussion. He proposed debating allegations concerning who was anti-national and who had connections with foreign forces, adding that the media and the country’s youth should also be present.
Amit Shah targets Congress over SIR controversy
During his address, Shah also criticised the Congress over its demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Referring to the 2014, 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Home Minister argued that the Congress had lost despite no Special Intensive Revision exercise being conducted during those elections.
“Where was the SIR in 2014? You were completely wiped out even then. Where was SIR in 2019? You lost. There was no SIR in 2024 either, yet you lost again,” he said.
Shah also referred to the elections in Haryana and Maharashtra, claiming that there was no SIR exercise in either state when the Congress suffered electoral defeats.
He accused the Opposition of disrupting parliamentary proceedings and organising protests on the streets instead of allowing Parliament to function.
Shah criticises Rahul Gandhi over protests
The Home Minister further alleged that Rahul Gandhi and the Congress were creating disorder through street protests and parliamentary boycotts.
Shah said BJP workers would give a “fitting reply” if Gandhi continued to mobilise crowds on the streets.
He also questioned Gandhi’s claim to have mobilised large numbers of people for a rally in Delhi, alleging that the venue had a capacity of 70,000 and was still half empty despite an appeal to bring 10 lakh people.
“The people of the country have consistently defeated Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party. The people of the country are not with you or the Opposition alliance,” Shah said.
Amit Shah raises questions over Rahul Gandhi’s foreign visits
Shah also sought details about Rahul Gandhi’s foreign visits, arguing that people had a right to know about them.
“You’re Leader of Opposition… People have the right to know,” the Home Minister said.
His remarks came amid the continuing political confrontation between the BJP and Congress over the SIR exercise, electoral processes and the Opposition’s criticism of the Election Commission.
As Chhattisgarh celebrated its 26th Foundation Day with Home Minister Amit Shah as chief guest, there are worries about the cash programmes for women.
With the payment of the 33rd consecutive monthly installment of Mahtari Vandan Yojana to more than 67 lakh beneficiaries, Chhattisgarh has created a record of sorts. The 67 lakh women are supposed to have received a monthly cash dole of Rs 1000 per head in their accounts totaling to a mammoth Rs 21,350 crore. It translates into a very neat Rs 33000 per head for each married woman over the age of 21 so far.
And all these women are KYC- checked and receive the direct benefit transfer. If there are an average of three married women in a joint family, then the amount totals to better than the average rise in paddy prices. That’s not all, there are six other women’s schemes which provide easy loans and rent free shops in good locations. These schemes pump in a further Rs 11,000 crore into each household every year. Further, the renamed MNREGA has another Rs 16,200 crore reserved for the state every year.
So far so good and it reads like a state government PR pamphlet. Now for the bad news. The cash dole has so far been absorbed by the family itself because of the inordinate rise in fuel prices. By all accounts only 23 per cent of the households who receive gas cylinders are able to continue buying it. Only 15 per cent of those who received loans for various trades including e-rickshaws have been able to sustain it. This is roughly about 41,000 women so far.
The state had also invested in physical infrastructure like sheds and shops for trades like mushroom farming, goat farming and small size hatcheries. Some shops were given rent free on prime locations in Raipur, Durg and Bilaspur etc. Most of these facilities have been abandoned as the self-help groups (SHGs) formed for the purpose haven’t been able to convert it into a profitable venture. In fact, each SHG, which usually has 11 women, is given a monthly encouragement amount of Rs 15,000 which is now being split amongst the group with nothing to show for it. Most sheds have either broken down or have become illegally occupied. Better still, the shops have been handed over to businessmen to recover some of the cost.
“The main reason these schemes have not had the desired effect is lack of training and a general apathy on part of the entrepreneurs because of easy cash,” said an official. And that best sums it up.
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