New Delhi/ Srinagar/Ranchi: The BJP along with its AJSU ally won a clear majority in the Jharkhand Assembly, giving the state its first stable government, but Jammu and Kashmir returned a highly fractured verdict on Tuesday, in which the PDP emerged as the single largest party, throwing up various possibilities in government formation.
With 28 seats, the PDP is in a pole position to form government, but the party appeared to be keeping all its options open, just like the BJP, which won 25 seats, all in the Jammu region, its best-ever performance in the state.
The BJP’s success in Jharkhand follows its victories in the Maharashtra and Haryana elections after the stunning victory in the Lok Sabha polls. While the BJP’s ambitious “Mission 44+” campaign in J&K failed, the party, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, for the first time emerged not only as a key player but a powerhouse in the Himalayan state.
Mr Shah announced that “all options are open” in J&K. The party’s core group held a meeting with Mr Modi to discuss possible scenarios in the state, including the possibility of a non-PDP government.
The NC, despite predictions about a possible rout, resisted a total washout, winning 15 seats. The Congress too surprised many by winning 12 seats. In Jharkhand, the BJP is all set to form a government with its All Jharkhand Student Union ally, the combine notching up a clear majority of 42 seats in the 81-member Assembly — with 37 for the BJP and five for AJSU.
