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The upcoming Haryana Assembly elections are poised to be a direct confrontation between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress (INC), with both parties vying for power after a decade of political shifts. The BJP, seeking a third consecutive term, faces the challenge of overcoming anti-incumbency sentiment, while the Congress aims to reclaim the reins of power after a 10-year hiatus. Over two crore voters, including 8,821 centenarians, will cast their ballots across 20,629 polling booths on October 5th, with the results to be declared on October 8th.
The campaign, which concluded on Thursday, saw intense campaigning from both parties, with rallies, roadshows, and social media outreach dominating the political landscape. The BJP, which secured 40 seats in the 2019 elections, formed the government with the support of the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), which won 10 seats. However, the alliance dissolved after the BJP replaced Manohar Lal Khattar with Nayab Singh Saini as Chief Minister in March.
This time, the JJP is contesting the polls in alliance with the Azad Samaj Party. Besides the BJP and Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD)-Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) alliance are also in the fray. Several independent candidates, including those who rebelled against the BJP and Congress, are also contesting on a few seats.
The BJP conducted 150 rallies, including four addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and 10 by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Over 40 Union ministers, MPs, and chief ministers of various states, including Uttar Pradesh's Yogi Adityanath, participated in the campaign. The Congress held 70 rallies, including four rallies and two roadshows by Rahul Gandhi, two rallies and a roadshow by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and two rallies by AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge.
The AAP, with Arvind Kejriwal leading the campaign, is hoping to make inroads into the Haryana Assembly, drawing upon their success in neighbouring Delhi and Punjab. The Congress is primarily focusing on rural votes, aiming to capitalize on the ongoing farmers' protest, the agitation against the repealed farm laws, the protest by Olympian wrestlers against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the Agnipath scheme, and issues like unemployment and inflation.
The BJP, on the other hand, has raised national issues, accused Congress of being anti-Dalit, and claimed that the party aims to bring back Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. They have also highlighted alleged scams during previous Congress governments under Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The BJP is promoting Saini, an OBC, as their Chief Ministerial candidate and highlighting policies such as Minimum Support Price (MSP) on 24 crops and direct crop-loss compensation to farmers.
Both parties have unveiled manifestos with similar promises, including LPG cylinders at Rs 500, 100-square-yard plots for the poor, monthly stipends for women (BJP promising Rs 2,100 and Congress Rs 2,000), filling up 2 lakh vacant government posts, and infrastructure development. While the BJP has already announced MSP on 24 crops, Congress has pledged a “legal guarantee” of MSP for farmers. Hooda has also announced that Congress, upon forming the government, will open the Shambhu border, allowing farmers to peacefully march towards Delhi.
Both parties have strategically selected candidates based on caste equations. Congress has fielded 28 Jat candidates and four Jat-Sikhs, while the BJP has given tickets to 16 Jat candidates. The Congress has fielded 20 OBC candidates, compared to the BJP's 21. In the Brahmin community, Congress has fielded five candidates, while the BJP has fielded 11. The Congress has fielded seven candidates from the Punjabi community, while the BJP has fielded 13.
Both parties have fielded 17 candidates each from the Dalit community. Congress has fielded five Muslim candidates, while the BJP has fielded two. From the Rajput community, Congress has fielded one and BJP three. Congress has fielded one Ror candidate, while the BJP has fielded two.