Election Result Highlights: Voters put 'no entry' boards for Congress, says PM Modi

Election Result LIVE: PM Narendra Modi and BJP chief JP Nadda at party's headquarters in New Delhi.

Election Result Highlights: The ruling BJP in Haryana is looking poised to return for a record third term defying all the exit poll results. This electoral contest, the first significant face-off between the two national parties since the Lok Sabha elections, has the potential to shape the political discourse in the run-up to assembly elections in Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Delhi.

Voter turnout for the 90-seat Haryana assembly stood at 67.90 per cent. Exit polls have predicted a Congress victory, but the BJP remains confident of defying these projections. Chief minister Nayab Singh Saini has dismissed the exit poll results, insisting that his party will return to power with a full majority. "On October 8, we will form the government, and the Congress will once again blame the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs)," Saini said. Meanwhile, Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda, a two-time former chief minister and the party’s likely candidate for the top job, has expressed similar optimism, saying, “A comfortable majority for Congress is in sight.”

Check Haryana election results here

Haryana assembly elections turned out largely a bipolar contest between the BJP and Congress, though parties like the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), and Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) have also thrown their hats in the ring. Leaders of these regional parties, such as JJP’s Dushyant Chautala and INLD’s Abhay Chautala, have each claimed their alliances are poised to play kingmaker if the election yields a hung assembly. Meanwhile, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal has claimed that no government can be formed without AAP's support.

Several high-profile contests unfolded from Ladwa to Ambala, and from Garhi Sampla-Kiloi to Adampur. Political heavyweights including CM Saini, Leader of Opposition Hooda, and JJP leader Dushyant Chautala are among the key candidates. The state has seen fierce battles, including family rivalries, with cousins Shruti Choudhry (BJP) and Anirudh Choudhary contesting in Tosham, and Devi Lal's grandson Aditya Devi Lal (INLD) taking on JJP's Digvijay Singh Chautala in Dabwali.

Key Highlights:

• Congress' celebratory mood at AICC headquarters turned sombre by noon as Haryana election trends shifted towards a shock defeat.
• Early trends suggested a big Congress win, with workers celebrating, but by 10 am, BJP started clawing back, dampening the mood.
• Congress leaders remained hopeful for a trend change by 1pm, but it didn’t materialise. The canteen prepared special dishes, but disappointment loomed as there were few takers.
• By 2pm, BJP had crossed the majority mark in Haryana with 47 seats, while Congress lagged behind with 38 seats.
• Congress also saw setbacks in Jammu and Kashmir despite early optimism. While its alliance with the National Conference was set to win, Congress only secured six seats.
• Congress raised concerns with the Election Commission over a delay in updating Haryana election results, alleging "false news" and “malicious narratives.”
• Independents won several key seats in J&K, with Omar Abdullah confirmed as the CM face of the NC-Congress alliance.
• BJP mocked Congress' complaints, calling them excuses for their impending defeat, asserting BJP's strong performance in both Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir.

The BJP has campaigned on a platform of good governance, merit-based jobs, and welfare schemes for farmers, while the opposition Congress has attacked the incumbent government on issues like unemployment, farmer distress, and inflation. The results will serve as a crucial litmus test of the BJP’s governance model, particularly following its change in leadership earlier this year, when Saini replaced Manohar Lal Khattar as chief minister.

In Jammu and Kashmir, today’s counting marks the final step in a historic electoral process, as the union territory prepares to elect its first government since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. This election was contested over three phases, with a total voter turnout of 63.45 per cent, a slight dip from the 65.52 per cent recorded in the 2014 elections.

The Congress-NC alliance, according to exit polls, is expected to come out on top, with NC poised to win the lion’s share of seats. However, the BJP is also projected to improve on its previous tally of 25 seats, and the PDP, which won 28 seats in the 2014 elections, is predicted to fare much worse this time. If needed, NC leader Farooq Abdullah has already signalled a willingness to align with the PDP to form a government, though he has ruled himself out of the race for chief minister.

Check J&K election results here

The political drama surrounding Jammu and Kashmir's elections is not limited to coalition possibilities. A recent move to allow the Lieutenant Governor to nominate members to five reserved seats in the assembly has sparked controversy, with opposition parties accusing the BJP of pre-result manipulation.

As counting proceeds in both Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir, political leaders, parties, and citizens alike are glued to the results that will shape the future of these states. Will the BJP secure a third term in Haryana, or will Congress manage a comeback? And in Jammu and Kashmir, will the Congress-NC alliance take the reins, or will the BJP spring a surprise? Stay with us as we bring you all the updates, insights, and breaking news from Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir on this counting day.