Haryana has become a hotly contested battlefield as the BJP makes significant gains, overtaking the Congress in the ongoing vote count, according to the latest election trends. Meanwhile, in Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress-National Conference (NC) alliance is inching closer to the halfway mark in early results.

In Haryana, with 90 Assembly seats at stake, a party needs 46 to form a majority. The Congress surged ahead in the initial count but now trails with leads in 37 seats, while the ruling BJP has pulled ahead in 48 constituencies. Om Prakash Chautala’s Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) is leading in one seat, while the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), led by Dushyant Chautala, holds the lead in two.

In Jammu and Kashmir, where the assembly elections are being held for the first time in over a decade, the Congress-NC coalition is leading in 45 seats, with the BJP trailing at 33. Mehbooba Mufti’s People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is ahead in five constituencies. The likelihood of a hung assembly raises concerns that the five Lieutenant Governor-nominated MLAs could play a critical role in deciding the government formation.

Key Points and Candidates:

Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda leads comfortably in Garhi Sampla-Kiloi.

Olympian Vinesh Phogat, contesting for the Congress, is leading in Julana.

Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini leads in Ladwa, while JJP’s Dushyant Chautala trails in Uchana Kalan.

Savitri Jindal, India’s richest woman, running as an independent, is leading in Hisar.

In Jammu and Kashmir, former CM Omar Abdullah of the National Conference is leading in both Ganderbal and Budgam constituencies, while BJP’s state unit chief Ravinder Raina leads in Nowshera.

This election marks the first since the revocation of Article 370, which altered Jammu and Kashmir’s status to a Union Territory. While Congress and NC ran as coalition partners under the INDIA bloc, PDP opted to contest independently.

Key Constituencies to Watch in Haryana:

Garhi Sampla-Kiloi: Bhupinder Singh Hooda (Congress) vs. Manju Hooda (BJP)

Ladwa: CM Nayab Singh Saini (BJP) vs. Mewa Singh (Congress)

Julana: Vinesh Phogat (Congress) vs. Captain Yogesh Bairagi (BJP)

Uchana Kalan: Dushyant Chautala (JJP) vs. Brijendra Singh (Congress)

In both states, the results could lead to significant shifts in political dynamics, particularly in Haryana, where anti-incumbency and farmers' protests have challenged the BJP's dominance.