Srinagar: National Conference president Omar Abdullah Sunday said his party was hopeful of forming the government in Jammu and Kashmir, as counting of the votes polled in the state assembly elections was underway.

“We are hopeful of forming the government on our own,” Abdullah told reporters.

“Where there is more voter turnout, it points to an anti-incumbency trend. We are the largest cadre based party. So by that measure, we are confident,” he added.

“As the results are locked in (electronic voting) machines, we are hoping for more than 35 seats,” the National Conference president said.

An estimated 63 percent of the electorate defied boycott calls from separatist groups to vote in the seven-phase elections that began Nov 17 and ended Dec 24.

Analysts are predicting a fractured mandate for the 87-member 11th assembly with no single party getting an absolute majority.

Political parties are said to be lobbying for an alliance to form the government. But Abdullah ruled out any alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is expected to do well in the Hindu-dominated Jammu region.

"No question of a tie-up with the BJP," Abdullah said.

 

Source : IANS