JAMMU: At just 29 years old, Shagun Parihar made history as the youngest winner of the 2024 J&K assembly elections. But her victory in Kishtwar, a district often marred by militancy, is more than just a political triumph — it is deeply personal.
Shagun’s candidacy is poignant, rooted in personal tragedy. Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists gunned down her father and BJP functionary Ajit Parihar and her uncle Anil Parihar near their home before the panchayat elections on Nov 1, 2018.
In a heartfelt speech Tuesday, she emphasised the heavy toll that years of conflict have taken on her community. “We have lost a large number of our soldiers. I have lost my father, and some have lost their brothers and sons. My first effort will be to ensure that every child here has the shadow of a father over his head, that there is peace and prosperity in the area. My efforts will be to bring happiness to every home.”
Initially focused on her academic pursuits — she is currently pursuing a PhD —Shagun had no intentions of joining politics. Yet, her family legacy, combined with a sense of duty to her community, led her to step into the political arena.
Shagun is one of just three women to have won in these elections. But her victory was no easy feat. She triumphed over Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo, a former minister and a prominent figure from NC and Firdous Ahmed Tak from PDP. In a tightly contested race, she secured 29,053 votes, defeating Kichloo by a slim margin of just 521 votes.
By fielding Shagun, BJP made a strategic move to broaden its appeal in Kishtwar’s diverse religious landscape. With a large Muslim population and a smaller Hindu community, the district has long been a stronghold for NC, which had won the seat five times. BJP had first claimed the constituency in 2014, when Sunil Sharma won, but this latest win by Shagun has a deeper resonance for the people of Kishtwar.
During the campaign, PM Narendra Modi acknowledged the gravity of Shagun’s personal history. Referring to her slain father and uncle, he said: “She is not just our candidate; she is the living example of BJP’s resolve to finish off terrorism.”
As Shagun begins her new role, her focus remains clear: the safety, security, and prosperity of her community. “This victory is not just mine. It belongs to the people of Kishtwar,” she said.

NEW DELHI: Exit polls on Saturday predicted that the Congress will be sweeping back into power in Haryana after a gap of 10 years, while its alliance with the National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir seems to be in a strong position and may form the next government, which last held assembly elections 10 years ago.

Congress to sweep Haryana: Pollsters

Exit polls released on Saturday predicted a Congress sweep in Haryana with the party winning around 55 seats, the BJP 27 seats, INLD 2 seats, JJP 1 seat and others around 5 seats.

In his first reaction to the exit poll results, senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said: “I feel that we will win 65 plus-minus seats. Congress will form the government with a thumping majority.”
Haryana CM and BJP leader Nayab Singh Saini said he was “confident that the BJP would form the government again with a complete majority on October 8”.

“BJP will form the government with full majority. We are confident. Work has been done for every section of society in the last 10 years, and the state has been freed from regionalism and dynastic politics,” said Saini on the exit poll predictions.
The 90 seats of Haryana went to the polls in a single phase on October 5. The majority mark is 46 seats.
The exit polls for the Haryana assembly elections were released shortly after voting concluded around 6pm.
In the 2019 assembly elections, the BJP had won 40 of the 90 seats, forming a coalition government with the JJP, which won 10 seats. However, JJP later broke out of the coalition and BJP relied on independent MLAs to sustain the government. The Congress had secured 31 seats.

Congress-NC have the edge in J&K: Exit polls

Exit polls for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly election have predicted that the Congress-National Conference alliance may win around 43 seats, 3 short of the majority, while the BJP may win 27 seats, PDP 7 and others 13.

With a hung assembly likely, former deputy chief minister of J&K Kavinder Gupta hinted that the BJP is already holding talks with “like-minded” parties.
“It is only in the exit polls that Congress-NC has got these seats, but BJP will emerge as the biggest party once the correct results are out. We are confident of getting more than 35 seats in Jammu province and the remaining from Kashmir. BJP will be in a better condition in Kashmir … Talks are going on with like-minded parties,” Gupta said.
National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah also dismissed the exit poll predictions.
In a post on X, Abdullah said, “I’m amazed channels are bothering with exit polls, especially after the fiasco of the recent general elections. I’m ignoring all the noise on channels, social media, WhatsApp Etc because the only numbers that matter will be revealed on the 8th of Oct. The rest is just time pass.”
The Election Commission of India said that an overall 63.88% voter turnout was recorded in the assembly elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, which was held in three phases: September 18, September 25 and October 1.
The counting of votes for Haryana and J&K will take place on October 8.