D-day: BJP looks for 3rd term, Congress comeback in Haryana

The counting of votes for the 90 Assembly segments, slated for tomorrow, will decide the fate of Haryana’s next government as also its political heavyweights even as the ruling BJP government and the Congress continue to exude confidence about coming to power in the state.

Power games: Hooda, Selja in Delhi

The Congress on Monday witnessed power games in the Capital with Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Kumari Selja posturing around the issue of CM face. While Hooda insisted MLAs’ opinion would be taken before the high command took the final call, Selja reiterated that the decision rested with the central leadership.

While the BJP is hoping to score a hat-trick by retaining Haryana, the Congress, enthused by the findings of the exit polls, is hoping to make a comeback in the state after being out of power for 10 years.

While caretaker CM Nayab Singh Saini was the face of the BJP’s centrally managed campaign, former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda ran the show for the Congress for the better part of the elections. The Sirsa MP and the party’s Dalit face, Kumari Selja, too, asserted herself in the build-up to the elections. Rohtak MP and Hooda’s son Deepender also campaigned extensively.

The Aam Aadmi Party, the INLD-BSP and JJP-Azad Samaj Party are also in the fray though a majority of the seats are likely to see a direct contest between the BJP and the Congress. The INLD-BSP is hoping to up its tally compared to the last election when the INLD had only a single MLA in the 90-member House. Given rebels of the BJP and the Congress contesting elections this time round, the Independents could not only play spoilsport for the official candidates but also win from some of the seats.

However, the greater challenge is for the JJP, a splinter group of the INLD, which saw a complete disintegration of its party after the announcement of the elections. Its sitting MLAs deserted the party to join either the BJP or the Congress. The AAP could not make a splash on the political scene but is hoping to get a foothold in the state.

Locked in close contests from their respective seats, all ministers of the BJP as also its former MLAs are up against anti-incumbency and ire of the farmers though the party is hopeful that its merit-based job offers and good governance will pay off while the “silent” voters will usher its government for a third time.

The Congress, however, is banking on the “public fatigue”, with the BJP having remained in power for 10 years as also the farmer unrest and disillusionment of sportspersons and armed forces with the saffron party.

For the first time, both the national parties have three contenders each for the CM’s post. While Nayab Singh Saini has led the party into election for the BJP, Ahir leader Rao Inderjit Singh and former minister Anil Vij have also staked their claim for the post, indicative of the power struggle within the party. In the faction-riven Congress, while Hooda has been the front-runner for the CM’s post, Selja as also Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Singh Surjewala have expressed their desire to occupy the chair. With a tough contest on the cards, Ladwa, Garhi-Sampla Kiloi, Tosham, Ateli, Julana, Uchana Kalan, Ellenabad, Ambala Cantt, Hisar and Kaithal among others are the seats to watch out for when counting gets underway.

Meanwhile, Haryana’s CEO Pankaj Agarwal said all preparations, including security arrangements, were in place for Tuesday’s counting, which would begin at 8 am. “The postal ballot counting will be held first,” he said.