Haryana Election 2024: Voting At 1 pm Sees 36.69% Turnout

Haryana is witnessing a tightly contested election today, with over 2 crore voters set to decide the fate of 90 state assembly members in a single-phase election. This poll will determine the political future of prominent figures like current Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, wrestler Vinesh Phogat, JJP leader Dushyant Chautala, and 1,027 other candidates.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is facing stiff competition as it aims for a third consecutive term, while the Congress is looking to reclaim power after a decade.

Regional parties such as Dushyant Chautala’s Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), which was allied with the BJP until early 2024, and Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are also in the race, positioning themselves as key players in any possible coalition.

Voting across 90 constituencies started at 7 am and will continue until 6 pm, with over 2 crore eligible voters, including 8,821 centenarians, casting their votes at 20,632 polling stations.

As of 1 pm, the voter turnout stood at 36.69%, following a 22.7% turnout at 11 am and 9% at 9 am. The districts of Panchkula (25.8%), Gurgaon (27.7%), and Sonipat (33%) reported the lowest participation by midday. Palwal, Jind, and Mewat showed relatively higher early turnouts, with Palwal at 27.94% by 11 am, followed by Jind at 27.20% and Mewat at 25.65%. Vote counting is scheduled for October 8.

The Congress Party, buoyed by their strong showing in the recent Lok Sabha elections, has highlighted seven key promises in its manifesto, including legal guarantees for Minimum Support Prices (MSPs), a caste survey, and a ₹2,000 monthly allowance for women. Rahul Gandhi led the Congress campaign, focusing on pressing issues like the Agniveer scheme, farmers’ protests, and the wrestlers’ movement against the BJP.

In 2014, the BJP came to power in Haryana, securing 47 seats under the leadership of Manohar Lal Khattar, thanks in part to the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini expressed confidence in the BJP’s chances, pointing to the extensive development work accomplished over the past decade and stating that Haryana has become a “developed state” under BJP rule.

This election sees 1,031 candidates in the fray, including 101 women and 464 independents.