BJP unlikely to form Jammu and Kashmir govt

Reuters Published December 20, 2014

NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party will not win enough seats to form a government in Jammu and Kashmir state, two exit polls showed on Saturday, dampening its hopes of taking control of the state for the first time.

Tens of thousands of people voted in the election, weary of decades of strife and lack of development in the Himalayan region, cause of two wars with neighbouring Pakistan which also claims the state.

Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will win only 22-26 seats in the 87-seat state assembly, the poll released by Hindi news channel News Nation showed. Another exit poll by India TV-CVoter projected 27-33 seats.

A regional group is expected to emerge with most seats, but will still fall short of a clear majority, polls showed.

Modi personally addressed rallies in the state, hoping to garner support from people in the Muslim-majority area.

But BJP's “Mission Kashmir” raised tensions as political rivals and separatists accused the party of instigating divisions in the region, while militants stepped up violence coinciding with the election.

Also read: 17 dead as militants attack army camp in Indian-held Kashmir

“It seems the much hyped mission 44+ of the BJP is not working,” News Nation's exit poll said. The results will be declared on December 23.

Modi stormed to power earlier this year on promises to revive the economy and root out corruption, but critics still see him as a polarising figure with Hindu nationalist views.

He is currently facing the ire of opposition parties for not doing enough to rein in his hardline affiliate groups that are allegedly trying to promote a Hindu-dominant agenda by luring Muslims and Christians to convert to Hinduism.

Know more: Srinagar tense as Indian-held Kashmir elections continue

Winning more states would give Modi's government more muscle while passing legislation in India's upper house of parliament, where the numbers currently favour opposition parties.

Modi, however, made gains in the eastern state of Jharkhand, where his party is likely to get a clear majority in the 81-seat assembly, two exit polls showed.

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raja hindustani

Dec 20, 2014 11:49pm

With 30+ seat, BJP will definitely going to play as role of king maker in J&K assembly.Currently, BJP is having only 11 seat in J&K assembly. If BJP manage to get around 30 seat in J&K assembly this time, clearly it will be due to Modi.

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zak the supreme

Dec 20, 2014 11:58pm

BJP will be the major stake holder

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Mahesh

Dec 21, 2014 12:01am

But BJP will be the king maker.

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Imran

Dec 21, 2014 12:02am

Is this surprising news?

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rohit

Dec 21, 2014 12:04am

thats true ... but will improve its position significantly

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Atam Vetta

Dec 21, 2014 12:04am

I have previously said that PDP will be the largest Party in J&K and might even form the Government. It would be a great victory for the BJP if even one of its Muslim candidates is elected from the Valley. It would be even better if that successful candidate is one of the three Muslim professional women BJP has put up because the BJP needs young Muslim women in its leadership cadre to teach some Hindu BJP leaders, particularly, women to widen their horizons. As for forming the Government it depends on (1) the numbers elected for the PDP, the BJP, the smaller parties & independents(2) whether NC will join the PDP or support the BJP from the 'outside'. Thus. one should wait for the 'numbers' before ruling out a BJP Government in J&K.

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Shah

Dec 21, 2014 12:09am

You know something is very wrong when a party known for it's anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan credentials are about to form government in a hugely pro-Muslim and pro-Pakistan state. Fake democracy and fake election.

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Black Sabbath

Dec 21, 2014 12:10am

BJP may not get the majority but it will be influential in J&K politics which is a big win for the party since before these election, it had no clout in the state. This is also a slap on the face of right wingers in Pakistan who have called these election "sham". Indian democracy is the big winner here!

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bnkp

Dec 21, 2014 12:11am

Better luck next time . . it happens in UNITED INDIA:)

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Paggri Sanbhaal

Dec 21, 2014 12:12am

If Modi had been wise he would have taken advice from our PM Nawaz Shareef how to get 3000 votes in a polling station where total registered voters are mere 1500.

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srd

Dec 21, 2014 12:30am

Pakistan should also know in J&K BJP never have won more then 10 sits 27-33 sits is a amazing growth

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CHANAKYA

Dec 21, 2014 12:32am

Modi will form the Government in partnership with Mufti Mohamad Sayeed .

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mimi

Dec 21, 2014 12:35am

Bjp or no bjp , current successful election in j&k is important for country.

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Madan

Dec 21, 2014 12:42am

It will be an unfortunate happening for BJP.Cooperation among different parties will bring peace in this region.

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M. Emad

Dec 21, 2014 12:51am

BJP should form Jammu and Kashmir government to bring peace in that state.

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Citizen

Dec 21, 2014 12:52am

@Paggri Sanbhaal No thanks, for such wisdom. Our fundamentals in India are pretty sold, and we would like to keep it that way!

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parth

Dec 21, 2014 12:52am

Just to inform my Pakistani friends here, this is true democracy and people of Kashmir have actively participated in it and voted for change and development clearly rejecting and defying the boycott call of very minority terrorists/millitants/extremists .. And those who are questioning thee fairness of the election I would just like to tell them, Ohh PLZzz this is not Pakistan, in Indian electoral systems it's close to impossible that anything can be manipulated..We are a established democratic system, not just a banana republic that everything can compromised. Just study the electoral system in India in details.. Otherwise it's not a child's play to continue with peaceful democratic processes for around 70 years starting from independence... Yes,very few deviation have been attempted so far like the Emergency era by Indira Gandhi.. But was well taken care of..We have consistently improved

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sam

Dec 21, 2014 01:02am

Anything more than 25+ seats would be good for BJP. But BJP would win 50 seats and form government in jharkhand

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Abdul Latif Bhat

Dec 21, 2014 01:25am

In the presence of 700, 000 Indian troops he can announce any figure. It is the history of India in Kashmir to rig elections. Rigging elections has given the birth to armed struggle. How long India would enjoy the occupation at gun point in Jammu & Kashmir?

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Viks Joshi

Dec 21, 2014 01:29am

And this is "Headline News" for Dawn (or whoever else from Pakistan)....??? And we were told all along by the same entities of that country (its FO spokesperson in particular) that such elections are of 'no consequence'... that they are 'illegitimate'... that they are 'fraud' ... that they are 'irrelevant' (to whatever-whatever)... that they are 'nothing more than a (Indian) military exercise' ...and all the usual blah blah blah... Ain't I right :-) Am I missing something here? i AM confused.

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Jason

Dec 21, 2014 01:36am

Pakistan can relax for a few years now. No need to be living under constant fear of BJP. You don't have to be scared now, Atleast as far as Kasmir is concerned.

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Sunshine(USA)

Dec 21, 2014 01:53am

" That's one small step for BJP , one giant leap for Democracy ! " The integrity of the Election Commission of India is commendable.

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indian

Dec 21, 2014 01:54am

@Paggri Sanbhaal Strange blaming namaz sari when he was not in power.People's party of pakistan in power still blame NS

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Ridwan

Dec 21, 2014 02:01am

BJP refrained from its typical anti-Pakistan bashing while campaigning in Kashmir. Otherwise they know they'd have won only 4 seats.

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Gp65

Dec 21, 2014 02:10am

@Shah Jammu has a Hindu population, Ladakh has half Buddhist and half Muslim population. In any case BJP does have Muslim candidates in Kashmir. As for your notion that BJP is against Muslim party, that is a notion spread by Congress. This does not mean BJP does not have Muslims. It has 2 Muslims in the cabinet - Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Najma Heptullah. M.J.Akbar is one of BJP's spokesperson. Incidentally, BJP had won seats during Lok Sabha in constituencies which had over 50% population and certainly none of their opponents had complained of rigging. There had been rigging in J&K in 1987 by Congress but ince then things have come a long wy in terms of electoral accuracy. If this were rigged, definitely BJP's political opponents would not keep quiet.

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nishant

Dec 21, 2014 02:59am

Expecting a BJP PDP alliance.

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Yugandar

Dec 21, 2014 03:17am

@Shah That means u don't know India and how she works. U got so used seeing for conspiracy angles in everything and get well soon.

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Mahesh

Dec 21, 2014 03:25am

@Shah i dont thionk kasirs r pro pakistan.they want freedom brom both

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Ahmed USA

Dec 21, 2014 03:54am

PAT or Mr. Qadri's Pakistan Awami Tehreek has 100% chance....10 win 100% seats in all of Jammu and Kashmir...

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narendra

Dec 21, 2014 04:11am

why is this a headline news in Pakistan

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G.Nabi

Dec 21, 2014 04:29am

Any Muslim converting to Hinduism must be a dirt poor to accept conversion for monetary gain- Does he know what his social status would be? In Hindu caste system , he will be lower than a Dalit.

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Amir Indian

Dec 21, 2014 05:09am

@Imran Surprise news will declare on 23 December.

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Xoxo

Dec 21, 2014 05:09am

@Shah If you think that the religion is the only parameter based on which people vote, than you don't understand democracy. Also, not every gets their news from ConspiracyTheories.com

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Ranjan

Dec 21, 2014 05:37am

@Shah "You know something is very wrong when a party known for it's anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan credentials are about to form government in a hugely pro-Muslim and pro-Pakistan state. Fake democracy and fake election." Agreed that a lot is wrong with India--a nation of more than a billion wretched people most of whom live in abject poverty if not deprivation--it's society, its polity, it institutions... Let us, for now, forget realism or Machiavelli or any treatise on how nations behave, what do you expect, Mr./Ms. Shah? Pray tell me why India ought to be pro-Pakistan? Because Pakistan is a benign nation that has done everything to flood India with milk, honey, and love (onions and electricity, if you want to add)? As for India being anti-Muslim, Sir/Madam, you expose your ignorance and myopia and I'm quite confident the better educated readers of Dawn know better than that.

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confused

Dec 21, 2014 05:39am

@zak the supreme How big ? BIG like BIG - 3 ?

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confused

Dec 21, 2014 05:39am

@Mahesh I thought, India was a democracy.

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confused

Dec 21, 2014 05:41am

@Paggri Sanbhaal Looks like you had to sanbhall dhoti as well, while writing this comment.

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AXH

Dec 21, 2014 05:42am

@Paggri Sanbhaal - Very funny yet true!

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Vilas Rajwade

Dec 21, 2014 05:55am

In every country, the masses want things to improve, so that they are able to live a better life themselves. The current focus of the Governments in all states governed by BJP, with or without allies, is on improving the speed of work, to make things more transparent, and, thereby, reduce corruption. This is why BJP got reelected in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Already, we can sense a difference in Maharashtra, although it is still early days for the new Administration. It is time we, the educated people, started contributing more actively to this common objective; rather than focusing on the 'narrower issues'. I am sure scores of educated Pakistanis must be wanting similar things to happen to them as well, if not even better. I applaud the spirit of both the Times of India and the Dawn to stay focused on the 'larger goals'. Regards & best wishes.

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Sonny Afridi

Dec 21, 2014 05:57am

Good thing their vote kept out the communalists

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Ashfaq1

Dec 21, 2014 06:15am

People always vote BJP in enthusiastically after congress reign but are disappointed because they are equally inept but also bring hate politics into India. Hinduism is a great religion and has never relied on conversions. Now time for Modi to rid India of rss/vhp politics

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Werewolf

Dec 21, 2014 06:17am

Do I care? No.

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Waqar

Dec 21, 2014 06:25am

@Paggri Sanbhaal hahahah good one lol

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Mirza

Dec 21, 2014 06:34am

Just a mater of time. Modi will get majority in Kashmir which would mean end to its special status . Well done Kashmiris.

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Sandip Bhattacharya

Dec 21, 2014 06:47am

@Shah Grapes are sour

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Ishaan Dang

Dec 21, 2014 07:02am

@Shah the only thing 'very wrong' right now is your immature opinion

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Anwar Amjad

Dec 21, 2014 07:10am

With anti-India feelings running high in the valley a high turnout in elections is not a good sign for India. As reported in some international media, the people may have come out to stop BJP from gaining control of Kashmir.

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ruliaram5

Dec 21, 2014 07:18am

@Shah If your assumptions are correct what stops BJP from getting close to 60-65 assembly seats instead of the projected number.

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Vikas

Dec 21, 2014 07:21am

@Shah: when in an election, which is widely monitored by representative of each party at each and every polling booth, recorded by cameras and widely scrutinised, a party which is considedred anti Muslim outside india gets significant share of seats, one should know something is really wrong with the image being projected outside and the real situation.

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anshul

Dec 21, 2014 07:42am

I just want to see bjp in govt whether coalition or absolute majority that will be game changer in solving kashmir problem.

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whats in a name

Dec 21, 2014 07:52am

@Shah dude, these are not pakistani elections to rig. India's elections are the best in the world.

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concerned_Cit

Dec 21, 2014 07:55am

This is excellent news for Kashmir. We can't afford to have a hardline blood thirsty party like BJP and Modi.

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Badar

Dec 21, 2014 08:00am

These are Kashmir women..Not Indian women. Kashmir is an occupied state..not part of India.

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anna

Dec 21, 2014 08:04am

@Shah and may be fake terrorism. By India and America.

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Jason

Dec 21, 2014 08:06am

@Paggri Sanbhaal hahaha! Good one! These politicians are just taking is for a ride...

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amit

Dec 21, 2014 08:09am

@Paggri Sanbhaal cannot stop laughing. Thanks for such a hilarious comment.

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Calcutta Man

Dec 21, 2014 08:09am

@Shah It hurts you...LOL

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manu

Dec 21, 2014 08:36am

@Paggri Sanbhaal first time I read a wrong comment by You. Sir, Indian electoral system is much better and we will not permit any leader or bureaucrat or Army to play with Indian Democracy. Be assured that elections were free and fair

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Tamilselvan

Dec 21, 2014 08:45am

@Shah sir, Unlike Pakistan and many other countries India and USA have a viberant democracy and stuffing of ballot papers don't place and they have electronic voting. Will of the people rule

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Vaibhav Bhatt

Dec 21, 2014 09:02am

BJP is going to win 30+ seats in J&K.. obviously.. for a party that never saw more than 15 seats in the region 30+ seat is indeed Modi magic .... they are also winning election in Jharkhand ... and mind you.. no state is electing them as they are polarizing figures ... people rooting for them on the issue of development

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colin

Dec 21, 2014 09:13am

@Shah Pakistanis preaching about DEMOCRACY is in itself HILARIOUS !!

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yousuf

Dec 21, 2014 09:16am

@Shah seriously brother, do you have a problem comprehending English . It clearly says that BJP won't win. When will hate mongers like you grow up

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swesh

Dec 21, 2014 09:28am

@Paggri Sanbhaal rigging election is india cant afford we doploy helicopter in laddakh reagon other remote area to conducts election thousands of vedio grafer and cost audit of amount spend by parties even if some doesnt want to vote they can press NOTA button stand for not to any one the election process of jk can be called full proff

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swesh

Dec 21, 2014 09:38am

@confused india still is u cant c a miltiray coup here

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pmrao

Dec 21, 2014 09:45am

@confused suddenly have you changed your mind that Pakistan is a democracy after the Peshawar carnage

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vish

Dec 21, 2014 10:24am

@Badar hahaha.....A very poor comment. ....These are not kashmir women, these are dogri women, Hindu women, the women of jammu. ......If you don't believe then check on Google about the culture of jammu. ....The people of jammu are dogras not kashmiris. .....

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Paggri sanbhaal

Dec 21, 2014 10:26am

@manu It was a stire by me dear, i know your electoral system which is ofcourse flawless.

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jaatboy

Dec 21, 2014 11:01am

It's a hung assembly in J&K with BJP playing the king maker.the astonishing part is that an ardent critic of modi ie. Omar Abdullah has agreed for a coalition with BJP.

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AshwinMS

Dec 21, 2014 11:15am

22-26 seats.Well,that means they can't form the government.But they will hold a major role in the Kashmir politics.

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Sunil

Dec 21, 2014 11:20am

@Paggri Sanbhaal Advice from PM Nawaz Shareef, whose throne is at doldrums.

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paatchu

Dec 21, 2014 11:48am

"Modi stormed to power earlier this year on promises to revive the economy and root out corruption, but critics still see him as a polarising figure" - ha ha haaa... WHO CARES ABOUT THEse CRITICS ANYWAY!!!!!

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Peace

Dec 21, 2014 11:55am

Ppl here.....at least don't question the election commission of India. It's India, with strong democratic institutions. Don't criticise for the sake of it. Ignorance is not a bliss anymore.

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vinsin

Dec 21, 2014 12:24pm

@Shah Then why Muslims vote for it. BJP has been ruling first time with majority from last 6 months you reached the conclusion it is anti-pakistan. And Congress loves Pakistan that is why they don't recognize it. Do Muslims in Pakistan love Hindus and non-muslims, if no why do you expect a different response from other-side.

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Ashfaq

Dec 21, 2014 05:51pm

@Ashfaq1 It is ghar vapasi...Back to roots. So no conversion, However they are converted in past.

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umesh g

Dec 21, 2014 05:58pm

@concerned_Cit You can afford have good taliban

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Ashok

Dec 21, 2014 06:30pm

People of Kashmir want development and that is possible only when BJP comes to power in the state.

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Vijay Thakur

Dec 21, 2014 06:47pm

@Shah Ha Ha. 65+ polling is fake?? Dude this is India, not Pakistan. Ask Imran Khan.

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Modi now with wife

Dec 22, 2014 12:11am

Drop the drama, no one buys into it. Plebiscite under UN supervision. End of story.

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Nikhil

Dec 22, 2014 08:01am

If elections in Jammu & Kashmir were really fake....then the BJP should be winning with a thumping majority...which it probably won't....which underlines the fairness of the elections.

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Dec 22, 2014 09:06am

@Abdul Latif Bhat Its not Pakistan dude where YOU can announce any thing you want, Government does not control EC, in fact during election EC controls the government. You can't even transfer an government employee before-during-and until next government forms. Rigging is a far cry.

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Dec 22, 2014 09:17am

@Shah I understand why you can't fathom that fact. Let me tell you one more thing. Majority Muslims in Gujarat also voted for Modi and BJP government and so did BJP from Muzaffarnagar which again is a Muslim dominated region. So, despite what your leaders say or what your maulanas say. India is way different from that and Indian Muslims are part of the mainstream.

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Harsh

Dec 22, 2014 10:56am

Kashmir is an integral part of India, morally, historically and legally. There is never going to be any plebiscite just because people in a neighboring country want it. I do not know if India has 200K or 700K soldiers in Kashmir and actually I don't care because we should put as many as required to ensure that law and order is not disrupted. Those who are not happy can leave. Coming to the elections, seems like there was anti-incumbency due to which NC will lose and PDP will gain. BJP seems to be doubling its tally and may throw up some surprising wins.

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Indian

Dec 23, 2014 06:13am

@parth Brother don't brag unnecessarily, be modest.

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Luke

Dec 23, 2014 07:37am

Watch the scrapping of article 370.....Pakistan take note.....

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yes man

Dec 23, 2014 04:35pm

@Shah in your dreams