Campaign din ends in Haryana, direct contest on the cards in most segments
The high-decibel campaigning for the Haryana Assembly elections ended today as rival political parties traded charges in their last-ditch attempt to garner votes ahead of the October 5 voting.
The ruling BJP looks to beat anti-incumbency to stay in power for a third consecutive term, while arch rival Congress eyes a comeback after a decade-long hiatus. The counting of votes will take place alongside Jammu & Kashmir on October 8.
In the run-up to the polls, the “threat” of rebels inflicting damage and regional parties cutting into votes weighed heavy on the minds of leaders from the two national parties that are locked in a direct contest on a majority of the seats.
The campaigning saw top leaders, including PM Narendra Modi, ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh of the BJP and LoP Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi of the Congress, fanning out across the state to woo voters.
In their final attempt at drumming up support, CMs Himanta Biswa Sarma, Pushkar Singh Dhami and Yogi of BJP-ruled states along with Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini held different rallies today. Congress’ Rahul too addressed twin rallies in Nuh and Mahendragarh, while senior Jannayak Janta Party leader Naina Chautala took out a roadshow in Panchkula.
Dealing a blow to the BJP just ahead of polling, Dalit leader and former MP Ashok Tanwar returned to the Congress in Rahul’s presence. Tanwar, who was BJP’s candidate in the Lok Sabha election from Sirsa, had left the Congress in 2019 over differences with Hooda.
As leaders of the two parties took potshots at one another amid aggressive social media campaigns in the run-up to the elections, the BJP built its narrative around offering merit-based jobs and good governance.
The BJP went after former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his MP son Deepender Hooda over alleged corruption under the Congress rule even as it sought to corner the party for “overlooking” its Dalit face Kumari Selja. The Congress attempted to tap into the youth vote bank by driving home the issues of growing unemployment and the exodus of youth to foreign lands, besides flagging “ill-treatment” meted out to Agniveers, sportspersons and farmers under the BJP regime. Both parties stare at a multi-cornered contest on a dozen seats where rebels are in the fray.
While the BJP is relying on its non-Jat vote bank and the “silent” voters, a resurgent Congress is looking to wrest power after a decade. It will be a fight to stay relevant for the INLD, which has tied up with the BSP to tap the Jat-Dalit vote, and its offshoot, the JJP, that has been battling desertions since the announcement of polls.
For the AAP, former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, released on bail recently in the excise case, and incumbent CM Atishi remained the top campaigners. But the party is unlikely to make a significant impact in the elections.
