In the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections, a multi-cornered contest is expected. The ruling BJP is aiming for a ‘hat-trick’ of victories, while the Congress is working to strengthen its position and take advantage of any anti-incumbency sentiment.
Candidates and Key Players
On October 5, 2024, 1,031 candidates will be in the fray. Among them are relatives of three prominent figures from Haryana’s political history—former Chief Ministers Bansi Lal, Devi Lal, and Bhajan Lal—some of whom are contesting against each other. Major political families and parties are adding to the complexity of the election.
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The BJP and Congress are not the only contenders; the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Jananayak Janata Party (JJP), and other parties like the Azad Samaj Party (ASP), Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) are also in the race. Prominent BJP candidates include Chief Minister Naib Singh Saini from Ladwa and Anil Vij from Ambala Cantt. Congress is fielding Bhupinder Singh Hooda from Gadhi Sampaula-Kiloi and Vinesh Phogat from Julana. The JJP has Dushyant Chautala in Uchana Kalan, INLD’s Abhay Singh Chautala in Ellenabad, and AAP’s Anurag Dhanda in Kalayat.
Family Feuds and Key Battles
In a notable family contest, Congress candidate Aniruddh Chaudhary, grandson of Bansi Lal and former BCCI treasurer, is running against his cousin, Shruti Chaudhary, a former MP from the BJP. Aditya Devi Lal, the grandson of Devi Lal and INLD’s candidate, will compete against JJP’s Dushyant Chautala in Dabwali. In Hisar’s Adampur, Bhavya Bishnoi, grandson of Bhajan Lal, is contesting from the BJP.
Voter Statistics and Election Dynamics
According to the Election Commission, there are over 2 crore voters in Haryana, including 1,07,75,957 men, 95,77,926 women, and 467 transgender voters. Congress and BJP are each contesting 89 seats, out of a total of 90. Congress has left the Bhivani seat for the Marxist Communist Party (MCP), and BJP has withdrawn its candidate from Sirsa, allowing its ally Haryana Lokhit Party (HLP) to contest there.
Challenges and Strategies
The BJP is focused on achieving a third consecutive win, but faces stiff competition from Congress, which aims to leverage any anti-incumbency sentiment. In March, BJP replaced Manohar Lal Khattar with Naib Singh Saini as Chief Minister to address these challenges. While Khattar is now a central minister, Saini, who is the new Chief Ministerial candidate, is facing internal competition from senior party leader Anil Vij.
Congress’s Strategy
Congress, aiming for a comeback after a decade, is capitalizing on issues like farmers’ distress, unemployment, and law and order. Bhupinder Singh Hooda, former Chief Minister, has highlighted the direct contest between Congress and BJP, accusing other parties of merely splitting the vote. On the other hand, BJP’s Saini is promoted for his “clean image,” praised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during recent rallies.
Political Landscape
Both parties are dealing with internal and external challenges. Congress is boosting its morale after winning five out of ten Lok Sabha seats in Haryana. BJP leaders are also fueling internal strife within Congress. JJP and INLD, having faced setbacks in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, are struggling to regain their footing. AAP hopes to make an impact, capitalizing on any dissatisfaction with the major parties.
The elections are expected to be closely contested, with many factors influencing the outcome.
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