Political parties and leaders in Haryana are waiting with bated breath as the counting day approaches, with the ruling BJP sure of holding power for a third term and the Congress, which has been out of power for ten years, hoping to make a comeback when the results are released on Tuesday.
Officials stated that all preparations, including security procedures, have been finished for the counting process, which will begin at 8 a.m. on October 8.
“A three-tier security arrangements have been made at counting venues,” Haryana’s Chief Electoral Officer Pankaj Agarwal told PTI on Monday.
The elections in Haryana are the first major direct contest between the BJP and the Congress following the Lok Sabha polls, and the result here would be used by the winner to build a narrative in their favour in other states where polls due over the next few months.
The key parties in the fray are the BJP, the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, INLD-BSP and JJP-Azad Samaj Party. However, most seats are likely to see a direct fight between the BJP and the Congress.
Jammu and Kashmir also voted alongside Haryana, but most seats there have witnessed multi-corner contests rather than a direct Congress-BJP fight.
Elections are due in Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Delhi in a few months.
A total of 1,031 candidates, including 464 Independents and 101 women, are in the fray on Haryana’s 90 constituencies which voted in single phase on October 5.
Several exit polls have predicted a Congress victory in Haryana which recorded a voter turnout of 67.90 per cent.
Rejecting the exit poll results, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has claimed his party BJP will form the government for a third time with full majority on October 8.
He said when results are announced on October 8 the Congress will blame Electronic Voting Machines.
On the other hand, Congress leader and former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, a frontrunner for the chief minister’s post if his party wins, exuded confidence of a comfortable majority.
On BJP leaders claiming that their party will return to power, Mr Hooda had earlier stated, “What else will BJP say? They will come to know once results are out.” The INLD-BSP alliance has also claimed that it will form the next government once results are declared, while JJP leader Dushyant Chautala has exuded confidence that his alliance will get good numbers.
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Source: NDTV
