In a stunning political upset, the BJP) has defied exit polls and predictions to achieve a historic victory in the Haryana Assembly elections, marking its third consecutive term in power.
By getting only 0.85 % more voters than the Congress the saffron party has surged to an impressive 48 seats, up from the 40 seats it secured in 2019, thereby consolidating its political hegemony in the state.
The Congress Party, once considered a formidable adversary, fell short of expectations, securing only 37 seats. The party had hoped to reclaim power after a decade in the political wilderness but instead faced a significant setback.
The BJP garnered 39.94% of the total votes cast, while the Congress trailed closely with 39.09%. Independent candidates, including Savitri Jindal from Hisar, Devender Kadyan from Ganaur, and Rajesh Joon from Bahadurgarh, collectively captured 11.64% of the vote, complicating the electoral landscape further for traditional party structures.
Political analysts attribute the Congress’s disappointing performance to a fragmented voter base, with independents and smaller parties siphoning off critical votes. Disgruntled Congress leaders, denied party nominations, contested as independents, causing significant damage in over 15 constituencies. Areas like Ambala Cantt, Ballabgarh, Bahadurgarh, Tigaon, Gohana, and Rania exemplified how defections crippled the Congress’s chances.
Meanwhile, the internal strife within Congress—particularly between Jat leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Dalit leader Kumari Selja—complicated its campaign. The party’s leadership battles became evident even before ticket distribution, with Hooda’s faction securing 72 tickets, while Selja’s group received only 9. This division alienated crucial voter segments and hindered campaign efforts, culminating in Selja’s absence from the campaign trail for over a week.
The BJP’s triumph can be attributed to its strategic outreach to Other Backward Classes (OBCs), a move that paid off in a state historically dominated by Jats. The party’s decision to field non-Jat candidates in Jat strongholds like Safidon, Gohana, and Uchana Kalan yielded significant results, as Brahmin candidates outperformed their Jat counterparts. In traditionally weak areas for the BJP, such as Gannaur and Hisar, the party’s tactics of fielding independent candidates thwarted Congress’s ambitions.
Despite the BJP’s sweeping victories, the Congress managed to gain ground in some of the BJP’s strongholds along the GT Road belt, winning seats in Panchkula, Ambala City, Shahbad, Thanesar, and Pehowa. However, the party, particularly Hooda, failed to maintain control in the Jat heartland of Sonipat, Jind, Panipat, Hisar, and Bhiwani, alongside the Ahirwal region encompassing Rewari, Mahendergarh, Jhajjar, and Gurugram.
Among the notable BJP casualties were former ministers OP Dhankar in Badali, Capt. Abhimanyu in Narnaund, Vidhan Sabha Speaker Gian Chand Gupta in Panchkula. Even former Cabinet Minister Ranjit Chautala, who was contesting as independent candidate from Rania faced the defeat.
The BJP celebrated significant victories among its stalwarts, including caretaker Chief Minister Nayab Saini from Ladwa, former Home Minister Anil Vij, who won for a seventh time from Ambala Cantt, and seasoned leaders like Arvind Sharma (Gohana) and Shakti Rani Sharma (Kalka). Other prominent winners included Mool Chand Sharma (Ballabgarh), Rao Narbir Singh (Badshahpur), and Rajya Sabha member Krishan Panwar from Israna.
For the Congress, prominent wins included Bhupinder Singh Hooda and former ministers Ashok Arora, Akram Khan. However, state president Udai Bhan from Hodal and veteran Karan Dalal from Palwal faced defeat, adding to the party’s woes.
The regional parties’ performances were disappointing as well. The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), once a significant political force, managed only two seats in Sirsa, capturing a mere 4.14% of the votes. Senior leaders, including Abhay Chautala and INLD state president Ram Pal Majra, suffered defeats.
Meanwhile, the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), which had previously emerged as a kingmaker with 10 seats in 2019, faced a crushing defeat this time, failing to secure a single seat and garnering only 0.90% of the votes. Former Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala and his brother Digvijay Chautala both lost in critical constituencies.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which had contemplated an alliance with Congress, also failed to make any impact, securing just 1.79% of the votes, with no seats won, despite party chief Arvind Kejriwal hailing from Haryana.
As the dust settles on this monumental electoral battle, a crucial meeting has been convened at Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini’s residence. Union Minister J.P. Nadda has already congratulated Saini, who was named the BJP’s chief ministerial candidate prior to the campaign launch, setting the stage for another term of governance under the BJP’s banner.