**Jammu and Kashmir's NC Party Emerges Victorious in First Election Since Autonomy Revocation**

In a significant political development in India-administered Kashmir, the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC), which staunchly opposed the region's loss of semi-autonomy, has secured the most seats in the Legislative Assembly elections. This is the first election held since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration revoked the region's special status five years ago.

The NC clinched 42 seats in the 90-seat Legislative Assembly, according to results announced by the Election Commission on Tuesday. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) followed with 29 seats, while the Indian National Congress party, which contested the elections in alliance with the NC, won six constituencies. The elections were conducted over three phases beginning on September 18.

Omar Abdullah, the NC leader and former chief minister, expressed gratitude for the support received from voters. "People have supported us more than our expectations. Now our efforts will be to prove that we are worth these votes," he stated during a briefing in the main city of Srinagar. His father, Farooq Abdullah, president of the NC, emphasized the party's mandate to govern without oppressive "police raj" rule and aim to free individuals jailed under past administrations. "Media will be free," he assured.

The celebrations among NC supporters were palpable, as hundreds gathered outside counting centers and at the homes of victorious candidates to mark the party's triumph.

Jammu and Kashmir has a longstanding history of conflict and political contention, being claimed by both India and Pakistan since their independence in 1947. Both nations administer parts of the region and have fought two of their three wars over this territory. Many residents saw the election as a response to the federal government's 2019 decision to abolish the area's special status, subsequently disaggregating it into two union territories—Ladakh and Jammu-Kashmir.

An elated resident, Jahangir Ahmad, voiced his hopes following the NC-led alliance's win, stating he anticipated the restoration of "political rights" in the state.

While the BJP managed to sweep all 29 of its seats in the Hindu-majority southern Jammu region, Prime Minister Modi expressed pride in his party's performance. He highlighted the enthusiasm during the election as a testament to "the people's belief in democracy."

In a related political update, preliminary results from the Haryana state legislative elections indicated that the BJP was heading towards a historic third consecutive win. Leading in 50 constituencies out of 90, with 18 confirmed victories so far, it far outpaced the Congress, which held 35 leading positions and 15 confirmed wins based on early vote counts. This outcome defies earlier predictions that had favored a simple win for the Congress.