But if the National Conference (NC) manages to win a majority of the 87 Assembly seats that are at stake, it will have to thank a lot of reasons, not the least of which is the unveiled presence of pro-government militants, armed to the teeth and very much in the electoral fray.
The patronage of these militants by the state Governor, who made an appearance with them on Doordarshan just before their announcement to participate in elections, and the Union home secretary's plain refusal to disarm them, may influence the outcome of elections, at least in some seats.
At the organisational level, the NC is yet to get its act together