Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Nayab Singh Saini to congratulate him on the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) victory in Haryana, marking a significant achievement for the party as it secured a third consecutive term in power. With the Haryana Assembly election results now largely in, the BJP is poised to form the government once again.
Modi Likely To Address Party Workers In Delhi
Modi, who led the party’s campaign in the state, is expected to address BJP workers and supporters later in the evening, possibly around 6 pm, according to an NDTV report. The party has not yet confirmed whether this address will take place, but it is anticipated that Modi will speak from the BJP’s national headquarters, reflecting on the victory in both Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir.
The BJP’s performance in Haryana defied the earlier exit poll predictions that had forecasted a loss for the party. Initially, early trends had shown the BJP trailing significantly, with the Congress leading in more than 60 seats. However, as vote counting progressed, the BJP made a remarkable recovery.
#WATCH | Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini greets party workers and leaders at his residence in Kurukshetra.
Currently, as per the trends of Election Commission, BJP is leading on 50 seats, Congress is leading on 35 seats. pic.twitter.com/SN3hLPxXxB
— ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2024
Party Positions As Per Latest Trends
By the time of reporting, the BJP had secured 18 seats in the 90-member Haryana Assembly and was leading in 32 more. On the other hand, the Congress had won 15 seats and was ahead in 20. With the majority mark set at 46, the BJP is now comfortably positioned to form the government.
This turnaround for the BJP can largely be attributed to its success in consolidating the non-Jat and non-Muslim vote banks, particularly focusing on the non-Jat Other Backward Classes (OBC) voters. The party’s outreach efforts to these communities played a pivotal role in its recovery, overcoming initial signs of anti-incumbency.
What Went Wrong For Congress?
On the other hand, Congress struggled with internal conflicts, particularly between key leaders Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Kumari Selja, which contributed to the party’s underwhelming performance. The infighting within the Congress created divisions that the party was unable to resolve in time, leading to tensions that ultimately hampered its ability to pose a more significant challenge to the BJP. Despite early hopes of a comeback, Congress failed to capitalise on the apparent dissatisfaction with the BJP, paving the way for the ruling party’s third consecutive term in Haryana.
