Srinagar, Dec. 28 : The National Conference has emerged as the leading party in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, the results of which were declared on Sunday evening.

The National Conference secured 28 seats, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) 21, Congress-17, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-11, and independent candidates 10 seats in the seven-phased polls.

Speculations are rife that Farooq Abdullah-led National Conference (NC) may prefer staking claim to form government in coalition with Congress.

Omar Abdullah of the National Conference said that he believed like-minded parties like the National Conference and the Congress "who don't sacrifice the interest of the people for populous politics to come together" and give the State a government that respected the decision of the people to bravely participate in the elections.

The Peoples Democratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti termed the performance of the party as "positive" as it had improved its tally from the 2002 elections. The PDP is credited having gained by its stand on the Amarnath land transfer issue over which it withdrew support to its coalition with the Congress party.

The National Conference and the Congress had formed coalition Governments in the eighties. The Government was then headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah.

BJP's Vice President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, meanwhile, has said that the Bharatiya Janata Party will not support any part in Jammu and Kashmir. (ANI)