As Haryana heads to the polls today, the political destinies of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Vinesh Phogat, and JJP’s Dushyant Chautala, alongside over 1,000 other candidates, will be decided.
The people of Haryana are casting their votes for the 90-seat assembly, with a voter turnout of 9.5 percent recorded as of 9 am. The figure rose to 22.7 percent by 11 am. By 1 pm, 36.69 percent voters had cast their mandates.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is eyeing a third consecutive term, while the Congress aims to make a comeback after a decade.
Major Contestants and Key Seats
The BJP, Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), and Azad Samaj Party (ASP) are the primary contestants in this high-stakes election. A direct fight is expected on many seats between the BJP and Congress, with key figures such as:
– Nayab Singh Saini (BJP, Ladwa)
– Bhupinder Singh Hooda (Congress, Garhi Sampla-Kiloi)
– Abhay Singh Chautala (INLD, Ellenabad)
– Dushyant Chautala (JJP, Uchana Kalan)
– Anil Vij (BJP, Ambala Cantt)
– Vinesh Phogat (Congress, Julana)
BJP and Congress Rally Support
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the BJP’s campaign, addressing four major rallies. Modi critiqued Congress for stalling crucial national matters, including the Ram temple issue. On the other hand, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi predicted a “Congress storm” in Haryana, promising a government focused on the poor and farmers. “We will open a ‘mohabbat ki dukan’ in every corner of Haryana,” Gandhi stated, emphasizing his vision for the state.
In a strategic move, Congress left the Bhiwani seat for their INDIA bloc partner, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), while the BJP opted out of the Sirsa seat, where Gopal Kanda of the Haryana Lokhit Party is seeking re-election.
Candidates and Rebel Entries
Among the prominent candidates, Bhavya Bishnoi, grandson of former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal, is contesting from Adampur (Hisar), while Arti Rao, daughter of Union Minister Rao Inderjit Singh, is vying for the Ateli seat (Mahendragarh). Several independent candidates, including Savitri Jindal (Hisar), Ranjit Chautala (Rania), and Chitra Sarwara (Ambala Cantt), are also in the fray.
The election also sees some interesting battles involving family ties. Dushyant Chautala faces off against Congress’s Brijendra Singh in Uchana Kalan, while cousins Shruti Choudhry and Anirudh Chaudhary, both former BJP MPs, compete for the Tosham seat.
Security Arrangements and Voter Demographics
To ensure a smooth and peaceful election, Director General of Police Shatrujeet Kapur announced that over 30,000 police personnel and 225 paramilitary companies have been deployed. Haryana has 1.07 crore male voters, 95 lakh female voters, and 467 transgender voters. Among them, 8,821 voters are aged over 100, with women outnumbering men in this category. The state also has 1.09 lakh service voters.
What Happened in 2019 Haryana Assembly elections
In the 2019 Haryana Assembly election, the BJP secured 40 seats, the Congress 31, and the JJP 10. Despite winning fewer seats than expected, the BJP formed a coalition government with the JJP’s support. However, the alliance ended after Manohar Lal Khattar was replaced by Nayab Singh Saini as the Chief Minister in March 2024.
The voter turnout in the 2019 assembly polls stood at around 68%. Today’s turnout will be closely watched, as it could determine the outcome for many of the key candidates.
Votes will be counted on October 8, 2024, which will reveal whether the BJP will achieve a hat-trick or if the Congress will return to power in the state after a decade.
