Despite improving its overall tally, BJP’s Jammu and Kashmir unit chief Ravinder Raina lost the Nowshera Assembly constituency to National Conference (NC) candidate Surinder Kumar Choudhary. Choudhary won by a margin of 7,819 votes, according to Election Commission of India (ECI) data. Raina secured 27,250 votes, while Choudhary bagged 35,069.
In 2014, Raina had won Nowshera by defeating Choudhary with a margin of 9,503 votes, securing 37,374 votes. In this election, Raina aimed for a bigger vote share but fell short.
BJP Gains Seats, Leads in Vote Share
The BJP has won 20 seats and is leading in nine more, improving its performance from 2014, when it secured 25 seats. The party fielded 43 candidates in Jammu and 13 in Kashmir. The BJP garnered a voter share of 25.64%, surpassing the NC’s 23.47%. Congress trails behind with 11.93%.
NC-Congress Alliance Outpaces Rivals
In the 90-member Assembly, the NC, in alliance with Congress, contested against the BJP. The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) ran independently, leading in only four seats. The abrogation of Article 370 had raised BJP’s hopes for a larger win, but results remained mixed.
Raina expressed confidence earlier in the day, predicting 30-35 seats, but Nowshera, constituency number 84, swung towards NC.
Also Read: Congress Complains To Election Commission Over Delayed Results In Haryana Elections
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