In the fiercely contested Haryana assembly elections, the Congress has surged ahead, gaining a significant lead and approaching a potential landslide victory. Early trends show the Congress crossing the majority mark of 45 seats in the 90-member assembly, leaving the ruling BJP struggling to keep up. While these are preliminary numbers, the final outcome will become clearer as the counting continues.
By 9:15 am, early results indicated that Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini was leading from his Ladwa seat in Kurukshetra district. However, many of his cabinet colleagues were trailing behind, causing concern within the BJP. Speaking to reporters, Saini expressed optimism about the party's chances, saying, "Today is the day of counting, and I am confident that due to the work the BJP government has done over the past ten years, we will form the government in Haryana for the third time. Our government will continue to serve the people of Haryana. Congress works for power; BJP works for service."
The vote count for the October 5 assembly elections began at 8 am, with initial reports indicating the Congress slightly ahead of the BJP. Early postal ballot counts showed Congress leading on 26 seats, while the BJP had 21.
Key candidates in the election include Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini (Ladwa), Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda (Garhi Sampla-Kiloi), INLD’s Abhay Chautala (Ellenabad), JJP’s Dushyant Chautala (Uchana Kalan), BJP’s Anil Vij (Ambala Cantt), and Congress leader Vinesh Phogat (Julana).
Prominent independent candidates include Savitri Jindal (Hisar), Ranjit Chautala (Rania), and Chitra Sarwara (Ambala Cantt). In Uchana Kalan, Congress' Brijendra Singh, son of former Union minister Birender Singh, is contesting against Dushyant Chautala.
Several rebels from both the Congress and BJP have also joined the fray. In 2019, the BJP formed the government with support from JJP and independent candidates. However, the alliance between the BJP and JJP ended in March when the BJP replaced former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar with Nayab Singh Saini.
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