Congress Surges Ahead in Regional Elections

Early voting trends indicate a strong lead for the Congress over the BJP in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir. With 78 of 90 seats counted in Haryana, Congress leads with 48 seats, while BJP trails. In Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress-National Conference Alliance leads with 39 seats.

As the counting of votes commenced on Tuesday, Congress emerged as the frontrunner in regional elections, outpacing the BJP in both Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir. Early counting data from 78 out of 90 seats in Haryana revealed Congress leading in 48, surpassing the majority threshold of 45 seats, while the BJP managed to hold 23 seats.

In Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress-National Conference Alliance held a commanding position with 39 out of 74 seats counted, leaving the BJP trailing at 25 seats. Meanwhile, PDP secured six seats, with three seats falling into the category of 'others'.

Security measures were stringent at vote-counting locations to ensure smooth proceedings. Political leaders across parties expressed optimism, despite the varying early trends. Final results remain pending and may differ as full counts are completed.

(With inputs from agencies.)