Haryana Assembly Elections Set for October 1, Counting on October 4

Haryana will conduct its assembly elections in a single phase on October 1, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar announced on Friday. The vote counting will take place on October 4.

Voter Details

In Haryana, there are 90 assembly constituencies, including 73 general seats, 17 reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC), and none for Scheduled Tribes (ST). The state has a total of 2.01 crore voters: 1.06 crore males, 0.95 crore females, 4.52 lakh first-time voters, and 40.95 lakh young voters. The electoral roll will be published on August 27, 2024.

Political Reactions

BJP leader Anil Vij welcomed the election date, stating that the party and its workers are prepared for the contest.

Congress chief Udai Bhan also welcomed the announcement, expressing confidence that the party will secure a two-thirds majority and form the government.

Context and Challenges

The upcoming election is crucial for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has governed Haryana since 2014. In the last assembly elections, the BJP won 40 seats and formed a coalition with the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), led by Dushyant Chautala. Manohar Lal Khattar, Chief Minister from 2014 to 2019, was succeeded by Nayab Singh Saini in March 2023. Khattar’s resignation ended the BJP-JJP alliance.

The Congress, which governed Haryana from 2004 to 2014, hopes to return to power. Despite winning 31 seats in 2019, the party missed forming the government as the JJP chose to ally with the BJP. Congress has criticized the BJP through its 'Haryana Maange Hisab' campaign, focusing on issues such as farmer compensation, unemployment, and law and order.

Political Debate

Chief Minister Saini responded to Congress's criticisms, asserting that the BJP has provided substantial compensation to farmers, contrasting it with the Congress's past practices of minimal aid.

Also read: Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections to Be Held in Three Phases

Recent Election Results

In the Lok Sabha elections held earlier this year, both the BJP and Congress won five seats out of ten in Haryana.

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