Exit polls for the Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, released on Saturday evening, indicate a potential defeat for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Haryana, with the Congress poised to take the lead. In Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress-National Conference alliance holds a significant edge. These projections come as a boost to the Opposition following the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) weaker-than-expected performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. 

Reacting to exit poll trends Congress leader and former CM Bhupinder Hooda seemed confident in establishing a government with comfortable majority. However, National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah described exit poll as mere ‘time pass’, despite the trends showing an edge for his party.  

How Haryana Leaders Reacted To Exit Poll Trends 

Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda reaffirmed his confidence in the party’s success, stating, “I have been saying this since we started campaigning that there is a wave in favour of Congress. Congress will form a government with a thumping majority.” He added that the decision on the chief ministerial candidate will be made by the party’s high command, considering the opinions of the elected MLAs. 

BJP candidate from Haryana’s Ambala Cantt, Anil Vij, responds to exit poll predictions by saying that the exit polls will be proved wrong. Vij added, “Exit poll ki pol pehle bhi khul chuki hai. People are still casting their votes and people are standing in line. The last person is yet to cast the vote. The total percentage has not been out yet. Exit poll will be proved wrong and the BJP will form government. On October 8 BJP will form government.” 

Despite exit polls in Haryana predicting a decisive victory for Congress after a decade, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini remained confident on Saturday, asserting that the BJP will secure a full majority and form the government. 

“BJP will form the government with full majority. We are confident. The people of Haryana have seen the work in the last few years. We have done work for every sector. We have set Haryana free from regionalism and nepotism,” he added. 

Congress leader Rashid Alvi stated that while he doesn’t trust exit polls, he acknowledged there was a strong wave against the BJP in Haryana. “I do not have a lot of faith in the exit polls. But in Haryana, there was a wave against BJP. Congress party can win 60-70 seats there (Haryana). The previous CM was elevated to cabinet minister. People are standing with Congress,” he said. 

How Jammu-Kashmir Leaders Reacted To Exit Poll Trends 

As Jammu and Kashmir awaits the outcome of its Assembly elections, National Conference President Farooq Abdullah ruled out any possibility of his party forming an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to form the next government. “We will never form an alliance with the BJP,” Abdullah stated, adding that the people have voted against the saffron party, eliminating any chance of collaboration. 

“The vote in favor of the National Conference is a vote against the BJP,” he stated. 

while commenting on the upcoming exit polls, Farooq Abdullah remarked, “We cannot expect anything definitive until the results are declared, at which point it will be clear who has succeeded and who has not succeeded in these elections.” 

Reacting to the exit poll results, PDP leader and Lal Chowk Assembly constituency candidate Zuhaib Yousf Mir dismissed the surveys, calling them “not a serious activity but a time-pass activity.” He expressed confidence in the PDP’s role in the formation of a secular government in Jammu and Kashmir, stating, “PDP is confident that it will be an indispensable & important part of the secular govt which will form in J&K.”  

Amid exit polls predicting a close contest in Jammu and Kashmir, Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) President and MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid, also known as Engineer Rashid, stated on Saturday that forming a government is not his primary concern. Instead, he emphasized that his focus is on ensuring the next government addresses the pressing issues facing the people of J-K.   

“Omar Abdullah has insulted those who voted for me and AIP. For me, making government is a non-issue and not a priority. For me, what is important is to see how much effort the new government puts into resolving the issues of the people of J-K,” he said. 

Former Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and BJP leader Kavinder Gupta criticized the Congress, stating, “Congress calls BJP its B team… The meeting makes it clear that Congress is with separatists and has been lying. Congress has always had the support of such people. Congress does not have a stand.”