BJP confident of an easy win, Cong pins hope on rural seats
GURUGRAM : By the end of the day today, if not earlier, district residents would get to know those who will represent Haryana for the next five years. The results of elections to the four assembly constituencies in the district — Gurgaon, Badshahpur, Sohna, and Pataudi — will be declared on Thursday, after counting of votes across the state.
So far, most exit polls have predicted a comfortable win for the ruling party, while only one exit poll has suggested a close fight between the Bharatiya Janata Party(bjp) and the Congress, the result of which could be a hung assembly.
If the BJP comes back to power with a majority, it would be the only second time in the state’s history that a party would form consecutive governments with a majority mandate. In the last assembly election, the BJP won 47 seats, while the half-way mark in Haryana assembly is 45.
“We are going to win in all four Vidhan Sabha constituencies in the state and form the government. We are confident that our workers in all the four constituencies will get a chance to celebrate tomorrow. We will organise a grand celebration at the district level,” said Bhupinder Chauhan, BJP’S Gurugram district president. Chauhan said that the party had made arrangements for celebrating the possible win at the party election offices in different Vidhan Sabha constituencies on Wednesday. “Party workers of different constituencies will get together at their respective Vidhan Sabha election offices on Thursday, where we have put in place all the necessary arrangements,” he said.
Less voting means that there are no antiincumbent sentiments. When there is a good contest, people also feel enthused to vote and have a say. This explains why people were complacent about voting, and didn’t come out in large numbers. RAM KANWAR, Former professor Haryana agriculture university, Hisar
The Congress, meanwhile, is banking heavily on rural seats with the hope of forming the government. “We are confident that we will make the government. The people of Haryana have not brought the narrative being peddled by the BJP this time. They have decided to return to the fold of the Congress, which is a party of all castes and communities. The Congress gives preference to all communities,” said Ved Prakash Vidrohi, Congress spokesperson.
In comparison to 2014, the election turnout witnessed a slump this time with the district clocking an average voting percentage of 59.54, the second lowest across the state after Faridabad, where the voting percentage stood at 57.2. Political observers said that less voting could go either way but it generally denoted an absence of an anti-incumbency sentiment.
“Less voting means that there are no anti-incumbent sentiments. When there is a good contest, people also feel enthused to vote and have a say. There is no strong sentiment that seeks to reject the ruling party that also explains why people were complacent about voting and didn’t come out in large numbers,” said Ram Kanwar, a political analyst, and former professor, Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar.
THE PARTY APPROACHED ELECTION COMMISSION AS IT APPREHENDED TAMPERING OF EVM
THAT ARE KEPT IN THE STRONGROOMS OF VARIOUS DISTRICTS