BJP emerges biggest winner but with reduced majority JJP may be key to Haryana govt formation
ASSEMBLY POLL RESULTS Maha’s ruling BJP-SHIV Sena coalition set to retain state; Congress puts up tough fight in Haryana
NEWDELHI: In the first set of state elections after the Lok Sabha polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party (Bjp)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won a simple, but not an overwhelming, majority in Maharashtra, paving the way for a likely return of Devendra Fadnavis to power, but only if the Shiv Sena supports him.
But defying most expectations, the BJP failed to cross the halfway mark in Haryana, with the state throwing up a hung assembly. This has left the issue of who forms the next government uncertain and raised questions about the future of incumbent chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar although analysts said it was likely that the party would eventually form the government with the assistance of independents, the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), or other smaller parties.
The elections, while reinforcing the ruling party’s status as the country’s political hegemon, was marked by a surprisingly robust performance of the Opposition — particularly of the Congress and the JJP in Haryana, and of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Maharashtra. This has meant a dip in the BJP’S seats compared to its previous t ally i n both states i n 2014, though, to be sure, the party contested far fewer seats this time in Maharashtra since it was in an alliance.
BJP Congress JJP Others
BJP
Shiv Sena NCP Congress Others 40 31 10 9 103 57 53 45 30
Thursday’s vote has thrown up a paradox. The BJP has technically won in one state (Maharashtra) and remains best-positioned to form the government in the other (Haryana). But the Opposition has politically scored in both by improving its performance and defying the widely held perception that it would be a clean sweep for the BJP based on its recent Lok Sabha performa nce . The p o l l s have a l s o brought into focus the intersection of national and state elections, national and state issues, national and local leaders, and the salience of both identity politics and economic concerns.
In Maharashtra, out of 288 seats, the BJP won 103 seats and the Sena, 57 — which gives the NDA a comfortable 160 seats to form the government. The nature of the power-sharing arrangement between the two is, however, uncertain. At a press conference after the results came in on Thursday afternoon, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray called it a mandate in their favour, but insisted that the “5 0 - 5 0 ” de a l , a s a g r e e d t o between the two parties, which may entail chief ministership (if only for two-and-half years) for the Sena, must be respected. The NCP, led by the veteran Sharad Pawar, won 57 seats and the Congress came fourth with 45 seats.
The big shock for the BJP came in Haryana. Out of 90 assembly seats, the party won 40, down from 47 in 2014. The Con
NEW DELHI: The fledgling Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) of former Hisar member of Parliament, Dushyant Singh Chautala, could prove to be the kingmaker if the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Haryana falls short of a simple majority.
Going by the initial trends, the ruling BJP looks to be falling short of a majority in the 90 member Haryana assembly. A party needs 46 seats to form the government in Haryana.
The JJP i s an off shoot of former CM Om Prakash Chautala’s INLD.