'No clear winner' in Kashmir poll, Omar Abdullah to be J&K CM

by Sanjay Jha | December 28, 2008 at 10:53 pm

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State assembly elections in the Indian Kashmir saw massive turnout defying boycott calls given by separatists. Voters conquered the fear of the gun in Kashmir valley. No party has managed to secure the mandate to form the next government but National Conference with biggest number looks likely to form the next coalition government in Srinagar in alliance with the Congress party. The new formation will see the return of Abdullah dynasty returning to power in Kashmir after 6 years.

National conference party headed by young suave Omar Abdullah has emerged as the single biggest party ovaertaking separatist backed PDP in an election which saw a huge participation. Omar took the mantle of the party from his father and former cheif minister Farooq Abdullah.

State assembly elections in Indian-administered Kashmir are unlikely to see any clear winner, reports say.

Election officials say that despite a high turnout, partial results show that no party will win a majority.

The polls were held in phases over several months amid concerns that separatists could disrupt voting.

Correspondents say India's governing Congress Party is poised to win 17 seats and is likely to play a key role in building a viable coalition.

The party with the largest projected number of seats, the pro-Indian National Conference, is expected to win 28 seats, reports say.

But that would still fall well short of the number needed to win a majority in the 87-seat chamber, leaving the state of Jammu and Kashmir in electoral deadlock and reliant on a coalition government.

National Conference President Omar Abdullah said his party would be "open to an alliance with Congress" in an effort to form a viable administration.