Congress Gains Edge in Haryana as Vote Count Begins

Early trends in vote counting on Tuesday indicate the Congress leading in Haryana and contesting closely with BJP in Jammu and Kashmir. The Congress has secured 24 seats in Haryana, while BJP holds 19. Initial postal ballot trends show 'others' leading on two seats.

The early trends from Tuesday's vote counting suggest that the Congress is leading in Haryana and locked in a tight race with the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir. In Haryana, the Congress is currently ahead on 24 seats, while the BJP has secured 19. Early postal ballot numbers also indicate two seats in favor of 'others'.

In Jammu and Kashmir, reports from various television channels show a neck-and-neck contest between the Congress-National Conference alliance and the BJP, with both parties tied at eight seats each. Meanwhile, the PDP has yet to mark a lead.

The vote counting kicked off at 8 am, starting with the opening of postal ballots, with electronic voting machines (EVMs) set to be counted half an hour later. However, these early trends are preliminary, and the final results could diverge significantly.

(With inputs from agencies.)