Three phase polling in Jammu and Kashmir : Haryana to vote on October 1; counting of votes on Oct 4

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar said that Maharashtra elections will be announced later due to security requirements for Jammu and Kashmir. 

 On the announcement of dates for Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, J&K BJP co-incharge Ashish Sood says "BJP does politics not for gaining power but for the development of the people. We are with PM Modi's resolve for a developed India... 

We are going to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir this time."

National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah says, "We want statehood, not only NC but all the parties of J&K want it. It is the Government of India's promise that there will be complete statehood...".  

He also said: "I will contest these elections, Omar Abdullah will not contest the elections. When the state status is granted then I will step down and Omar Abdullah will contest from that seat."

Haryana to vote on October 1; counting of votes on Oct 4

Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini says, "...We are fully prepared. Our government has been working under the mission mode for the last 10 years and will continue to do so. Under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, we will form the government in Haryana with a big mandate..."

Haryana Congress leader and MP Kumari Selja says, 

- "We are ready and the people of Haryana are also ready. We saw a sample of this in the Lok Sabha elections and the way the Haryana government is taking hasty decisions, it is clear that the Haryana government has accepted defeat...

Haryana should have been ahead in the country but BJP has pushed it back. There is no talk of contesting elections with the Aam Aadmi Party. I think we do not need anyone and the Congress is capable on its own and we will form the government with a huge majority..."

On Assembly elections in J&K, PDP leader Mohammad Iqbal Trumboo says, 

"This is a welcome announcement that elections will be held in J&K after 10 years. We are happy that ECI has is abiding by the deadline given by the Supreme Court...

We are ready for elections in every way. There should be vote against the decision to take away our special status, constitution and flag. People should express their resentment through their votes."   

On Assembly elections in J&K, BJP leader Altaf Thakur says, "J&K BJP welcomes the announcement of elections. As everyone knows the BJP had come into election mode long before with rallies and door to door campaigns, this time BJP will form govt by winning over 50 seats...".   

On three-phase J&K Assembly elections from Sept 18, CPI-M leader Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami says, 

"Now that elections have been announced, we welcome it. They (Election Commission) also assured us of a level playing field and expressed satisfaction over the security situation. All parties including us believed that a vacuum was created in J&K due to no elections for the last 10 years...

With the announcement of elections, now there is new hope building in people". 

Democratic Progressive Azad Party, Ghulam Nabi Azad says," We welcome the announcement of elections. I thank the government and Election Commission. We hope it will be a free and fair election. 

We also hope the security of voters, candidates and party leaders will be taken care of...Right now what is important is that people are getting a chance to elect their representative after nearly 10 years."