Haryana is gearing up for its Assembly elections for tomorrow, October 5, covering 90 seats, with the vote counting scheduled for October 8. The current Haryana Legislative Assembly is set to complete its term on November 3, 2024. The previous election in October 2019 resulted in a coalition government between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), led by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
In the 2019 elections, the BJP secured 40 seats while the JJP won 10. The Congress party managed to secure 31 seats. However, the alliance between the BJP and JJP has since ended, leading to a competitive landscape featuring the BJP, Congress, JJP, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Recent Lok Sabha elections saw the BJP lose five parliamentary seats in Haryana, while Congress regained five after being shut out five years prior.
NewsX EXPERT-O-METER
In an exclusive conversation with Megha Sharma of NewsX, Mukesh Tyagi (BJP spokesperson), Dr. Pooja Tripathi (Congress spokesperson), Dr. Virender Singh Sindhu (JJP spokesperson), and Advocate Nikhil Jain (political analyst) shared their insights on the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections.
Mukesh Tyagi, spokesperson for the BJP, criticized the Congress, stating, “Congress has been trying to create this narrative of incumbency.” He referenced the party’s performance in states like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, claiming that despite their assertions, “we won these states and it was continuity of the government.” He also emphasized the BJP’s efforts in welfare schemes to regain voter support.
Key issues
On the other hand, Dr. Pooja Tripathi, Congress spokesperson, argued that the BJP’s tenure has led to an increase in unemployment rates in Haryana. She emphasized, “We are fighting this election on the MSP promises for the farmers,” while pledging the scrapping of the Agniveer scheme.
She also highlighted issues of corruption and the lack of action regarding athletes’ rights, asserting that the governance system is “riddled with corruption.”
On the Agniveer scheme, Mukesh Tyagi noted that “youth are enthusiastic about joining Agniveer because it gives them fantastic training. It is a very mature policy. A large number of young Agniveers will be absorbed in mainstream. Government jobs and the private sector will accept them. They will have money in the bank.”
‘BJP is in very bad position in Haryana’
Dr. Virender Singh Sindhu, spokesperson for the JJP, voiced concerns about the BJP’s position in Haryana, asserting, “BJP is in a very bad position in Haryana that they changed their CM, changed dates.”
He criticized the BJP for its handling of caste and religious issues, predicting that “BJP in this election will not cross 10 seats.” He further claimed that “BJP is a party that takes votes on religion and caste.”
Political analyst Advocate Nikhil Jain pointed out the key issues in Haryana, stating, “The three key issues in Haryana are Jawan, Kisaan and Pehalwaan.”
Manohar Lal Khattar missing from the campaign
He criticized Manohar Lal Khattar ’s lack of visibility in the campaign, noting that “branding is completely missing from this election.” Jain anticipates a “clear mandate in favor of Congress,” suggesting that voters are dissatisfied with the BJP’s governance over the past decade.
As the elections approach, the political landscape in Haryana remains contentious, with parties vying for voter support amid a backdrop of dissatisfaction and promises of reform.
Congress’s CM pick for Haryana
Furthermore, on the question of Congress’s CM face, Dr. Pooja Tripathi mentioned that the “leader of legislative party members will decide the CM face of Congress,” and pointed out that “Haryana used to send high numbers of youth in the army. From 5,597 in 2019, it has been reduced to 900. People are taking risky dunki routes to go to foreign countries because of unemployment here. It has increased by 60%.”
Read More: Haryana Assembly Elections : Caste Dynamics, Rural-Urban Divide Explained
