National Conference (NC) Vice President Omar Abdullah is set to return as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir after the NC’s strong showing in the Assembly elections. This marks the first elections in J&K after a decade, and Omar Abdullah’s party emerged victorious on 42 of the 51 seats it contested.
The NC’s coalition ally, Congress, secured six seats out of the 32 it contested. The NC claimed 35 seats in Kashmir and seven in the Jammu region, for a total of 42 seats—the highest tally since their 1996 landslide victory, where they secured 57 seats.
The BJP registered its best-ever performance in Jammu and Kashmir, winning 29 seats. However, all the victories came from Jammu division, with the party failing to secure a single seat in Kashmir.
The PDP, which had shown strong results in previous elections, performed poorly, securing only three seats, all from the Kashmir Valley. This is the PDP’s worst performance, having won 16 seats in 2002, 21 in 2008, and 28 in 2014.
The Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) failed to win any seats, while the People’s Conference secured just one seat.
Shagun Parihar of the BJP made history by becoming the alone woman to secure a seat in the Assembly, emerging as a prominent figure in a male-dominated race. Meanwhile, female candidates from both the National Conference and Congress were unable to make their way into the Assembly.
The AAP managed to win one seat, marking its entry into the political landscape of J&K.
With Omar Abdullah expected to assume the role of Chief Minister, the political landscape in Jammu and Kashmir has shifted back to the National Conference, which last held power a decade ago.
As the dust settles, many prominent former ministers and legislators have lost their seats, paving the way for fresh faces in the Assembly.
