The counting of votes for Haryana and Jammu& Kashmir assembly polls began at 8 am amid tight security arrangements.In Haryana, the political landscape is charged as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) aims for a historic third consecutive term. Meanwhile, the Congress party is seeking to reclaim its foothold after a decade in the opposition.The elections in Haryana are the first major direct contest between the BJP and the Congress following the Lok Sabha polls, and the result here would be used by the winner to build a narrative in their favour in other states where polls due over the next few months.The key parties in the fray are the BJP, the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, INLD-BSP and JJP-Azad Samaj Party.However, most seats are likely to see a direct fight between the BJP and the Congress.Simultaneously, attention will be on Jammu and Kashmir, as this was the first Assembly election in the union territory in 10 years. It is also the first since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, which reduced its status to a Union Territory.Exit polls predicted a clear majority for the Congress in Haryana and gave an edge to its alliance with the National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir, with the regional partner emerging as the single largest party.
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