Congress Dims in J&K

Srinagar, Oct 13: The Congress party's performance in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections has been nothing short of dismal, suffering a sharp decline in both vote share and seat count.

Despite being part of the National Conference (NC)-Congress alliance, the party secured victory in only six constituencies out of the 32 it contested.

This marks a steep fall from its 12-seat tally in the 2014 elections, with its vote share plummeting from 18.01 percent in 2014 to just 11.97 percent this year.

The electoral drubbing saw senior Congress leaders Raman Bhalla, Tara Chand, and Lal Singh losing their seats, particularly in the Jammu region, where out of 29 Congress candidates, only one managed to win. 

The election results signal a significant loss of ground for Congress in J&K, even as its ally, the NC, achieved a resounding success, securing 42 seats.

J&K Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra expressed disappointment with the results, saying, “The party will introspect on the poor performance in the J&K assembly polls.”

The Congress’ lacklustre showing stands in contrast to the strong performances of the NC and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The NC, which contested 51 seats, garnered 23.43 percent of the vote, while the BJP, winning 29 seats, secured the largest vote share with 25.64 percent.

The once-dominant People’s Democratic Party (PDP) saw its influence wane, managing only 3 seats with an 8.87 percent vote share.

The 2014 assembly elections saw the PDP emerge as the single-largest party with 28 seats (22.67 percent votes), followed by the BJP with 25 seats (22.98 percent votes), the NC with 15 seats (20.77 percent), and the Congress with 12 seats (18.01 percent).

The decline in Congress’ fortunes has halved its seat count, underscoring the extent of its erosion in influence.

In comparison, the NC not only regained political strength but also became the single-largest party in the new assembly.

A total of 873 candidates vied for 90 seats across Jammu and Kashmir – 47 in Kashmir and 43 in Jammu.

Despite Congress’ struggles, the alliance with NC has kept it relevant, as the two parties are set to form the first elected government in J&K in over a decade following the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

The elections were held in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1, with a voter turnout of 62.78 percent.

The phased polling witnessed fluctuating participation, with turnout dropping to 57.31 percent in the second phase but rising to 69.65 percent in the final leg of voting.