As the assembly polls draw near, all political parties are busy preparing for the upcoming assembly elections in Haryana. Following the results of assembly polls held recently in adjoining Rajasthan and ongoing political scenario, the forthcoming polls are expected to be a multi-cornered battle between the ruling BJP-JJP and opposite faction the Congress, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), and AAM Aadmi Party (AAP) in the state and the same has forced to rekindle their focus on reserved seats. In such a situation, all the parties are brainstorming every possible strategy to woo the voters in a bid to ensure victory in the upcoming battle. The BJP which registered a resounding victory in assembly polls in 2019 and the Congress are on toes to improve their performance and increase base in the constituencies reserved for Scheduled Castes. Following the rules and regulations, Two parliamentary and 17 assembly seats will remain reserved till the year 2030.
Out of 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana, 2 seats Ambala and Sirsa parliamentary are reserved while out of total 90 assembly seats in the state, 17 constituencies stand reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates till 2030 and the list of 17 constituencies reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates includes Mullana in Ambala, Sadhaura in Yamunanagar, Shahabad in Kurukshetra, Guhla in Kaithal, Israna in Panipat, Kharkhoda in Sonipat, Nilokheri in Karnal, Narwana in Jind, Kalanwali in Sirsa, Ratia in Fatehabad, Uklana in Hisar, Bhawani Kheda in Bhiwani, Jhajjar includes Jhajjar seat, Kalanaur in Rohtak, Bawal in Rewari, Pataudi in Gurugram and Hodal in Palwal.
It has been a tough battle between the two major national parties, BJP and the Congress in assembly polls held in 2019. Of aforementioned constituencies reserved for SC/ST candidates, the Congress has bagged a maximum 7 seats followed by the ruling BJP. The party contestants Balbir Valmiki from Israna in Panipat, Renubala from Sadhaura in Yamunanagar, Varun Chaudhary from Mullana in Ambala, Shakuntala Khatak from Kalanaur in Rohtak, Jaiveer Valmiki from Kharkhoda in Sonepat, Sheeshpal Keharwal from Kalanwali in Sirsa and Geeta Bhukkal from Jhajjar in Rohtak marked the victory.
Further, the ruling BJP emerged victorious on 5 seats and the list . Among the party MLA’s Laxman Napa from Ratia in Fatehabad, Vishambhar Valmiki from Bawanikheda in Bhiwani, Banwari Lal from Bawal in Rewari, Satyaprakash Jaravata from Pataudi in Gurugram and Jagdish Nayyar from Hodal in Palwal; had fought the assembly polls successfully. Similarly JJP, which is an ally in power in Haryana with the main ruling BJP and an entrant then, emerged victorious in constituencies.
The JJP legislators Anup Dhanak, Ramkaran Kala, Ishwar Singh and Ramnivas Surjakheda succeeded in marking victory from Uklana, Shahabad, Guhla and Narwana seats respectively. On the other hand, independent Dharampal Gondar won the election from Nilokhedi. Since the Congress has been influential among the SC voters, it is believed to be dominating in the upcoming polls in reserved seats.
Out of 10, as many as 2 parliamentary seats Ambala and Sirsa are reserved for SC candidates and the BJP contested the elections successfully on both seats as the party contenders Ratan Lal Kataria and Sunita Duggal secured the victory with a sizable vote share. Following the demise of Ratan Lal Kataria, Ambala seat is lying vacant for months as election was taken pertaining to holding the bypolls in Ambala. Notably, no assembly seat is reserved in Faridabad, Panchkula, Mahendragarh, Nuh, and Charkhi Dadri districts.