BJP incumbent MP from Rohtak, Arvind Sharma, remarked on Saturday that despite attempts at disruption, there have been no reports of booth capturing thanks to the vigilance of the administration. “We are receiving complaints from certain polling booths. Some individuals are attempting theft, but the authorities are vigilant and executing their duties,” Sharma stated optimistically, expressing confidence in the BJP’s performance across all 10 seats in Haryana. He emphasized the Election Commission’s directive allowing only one voter inside the booth at a time, noting instances where others accompany the voter, but assured that the administration is enforcing regulations rigorously.
Contrary to Sharma’s assertions, Congress candidate Deepender Singh Hooda, Sharma’s main rival, cast his vote earlier at a polling station in his native village, Sanghi, Rohtak. Hooda, backed by his father and former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, stated, “There is a wave in favor of Congress,” indicating the party’s optimism.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Sharma narrowly defeated Hooda by a margin of 7,503 votes, with Sharma securing 5,73,845 votes against Hooda’s 566,342. Hooda, who previously held the Rohtak seat for three terms, aims to reclaim his family’s stronghold, with a legacy stretching back to his grandfather, Ranbir Singh Hooda, winning the first two Lok Sabha elections in 1952 and 1957.
The political landscape in Haryana sees AAP and Congress forming an alliance, aiming to challenge BJP’s dominance established in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls where BJP swept all seats. Notably, seats like Hisar witness multi-cornered contests, involving BJP, Congress, INLD, and Jannayak Janata Party, intensifying electoral competition.
Besides the Lok Sabha election, Haryana gears up for assembly polls shortly after, further heightening political activity in the state.