Haryana is all set to vote on Saturday in fiercely contested Assembly election, with polling set to take place across 20,632 booths. More than 2 crore voters will decide the future of the state. The ruling BJP aims for a third consecutive term, while the Congress seeks to reclaim power after a decade in opposition. The stakes are high, with both national and regional parties vying for control of the state’s political landscape. The single-phase polling, which will determine the composition of the 15th Haryana Legislative Assembly of 90 seats, has seen intense campaigning from the BJP, Congress, and key regional players such as the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and Jannayak Janta Party (JJP).
The BJP, which won 40 seats in the 2019 elections and formed a coalition government with the JJP, is hoping to secure a majority this time around. However, the BJP-JJP alliance has since collapsed, leaving both parties to contest separately in this election. According to Haryana’s Chief Electoral Officer Pankaj Agarwal, the state has 2.03 crore registered voters, including 1.07 crore men, 95.77 lakh women, and 467 individuals from the third gender. Among the electorate, 5.24 lakh are first-time voters aged 18-19, while 2.31 lakh voters are above the age of 85. Additionally, 1.49 lakh voters have disabilities. Polling will begin at 7 AM and conclude at 6 PM. A total of 1,031 candidates, including 101 women, are in the fray for 90 Assembly seats. Of these, 464 candidates are contesting as Independents.
The results of the Haryana Assembly elections will be declared on October 8, alongside those of Jammu and Kashmir, making this one of the most closely watched electoral battles in recent times.
As the campaign season wrapped up on Thursday, the BJP sought to highlight its governance track record, while the Congress hammered the ruling party over unemployment, economic mismanagement, and alleged crony capitalism.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a last-minute push to voters, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to criticize Congress’s stance on reservations and its handling of caste-related issues. He accused Congress leaders of being out of touch with Haryana’s needs, adding, “Haryana’s backward and Dalit communities are angry with Congress for its failure to prevent caste-based violence. The people of Haryana are ready to punish Congress once again. From every corner of the state, the message is clear—trust from the heart, BJP again.”
In a contrasting message, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi appealed to the people to hold the BJP accountable for high unemployment rates in the state. He promised that a Congress government would provide 2 lakh permanent jobs and work towards making Haryana drug-free. Addressing voters on X, Gandhi wrote, “The unemployment crisis created by the BJP has jeopardized the future of Haryana’s youth. Under BJP rule, the backbone of employment-generating systems in the state has been broken. Congress will restore jobs, protect the youth, and ensure that every family prospers.” While the BJP and Congress dominate the headlines, regional parties such as the INLD, JJP, and their respective allies—Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Azad Samaj Party (ASP)—are also expected to play crucial roles in the election outcome. With fractured political alliances, the possibility of a hung assembly looms, making these regional outfits potential kingmakers.
On Friday, party candidates and workers were seen making last-minute efforts to solidify support. Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini visited Mansa Devi Temple in Panchkula, performing a ‘havan yagya’ for the party’s success. Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the Leader of Opposition, was in Rohtak meeting party workers, while BJP stalwart and former Home Minister Anil Vij was in Ambala meeting BJP functionaries. With the BJP banking on its governance track record and Congress appealing to marginalized communities and unemployed youth, the results are expected to have significant national ramifications, particularly as both parties prepare for the upcoming general elections in 2025. All the parties have offered freebies ranging from monthly financial assistance to women voters, procurement of crops on MSP, cheaper LGP cylinders and electricity and over two lakh government jobs.
