Haryana elections: BJP aims for 75-plus seats, but faces an uphill task in nearly 39

After winning 2019 Lok Sabha polls on all 10 parliamentary seats with thumping margins, BJP’s campaign slogan for Vidhan Sabha is “Abki Baar 75 Paar”. However, Lok Sabha 2019 results show, that although BJP maintained lead in 82 out of 90 Assembly constituencies, yet there were seven such constituencies, including two represented by its Cabinet ministers, in which BJP trailed behind Congress and JJP.

In Beri Assembly segment of the Rohtak parliamentary constituency, Congress took lead of 11,415 votes . The Beri constituency is currently represented by BJP Cabinet minister Om Prakash Dhankar, who is seeking a re-election from the same seat.

Similarly, JJP took a lead of 3,030 votes in Narnaund Assembly segment in Hisar parliamentary constituency. Narnaund is currently represented by BJP’s Cabinet minister, Capt Abhimanyu, who is seeking re-election from the same constituency this time.

In Rohtak parliamentary constituency, although BJP candidate Arvind Sharma defeated Congress nominee Deepender Hooda, but still Congress managed a lead in at least five out of nine Assembly segments covered under Rohtak seat. These included Meham, represented by Congress MLA Anand Singh Dangi (Congress led by a margin of 14,105 votes), Garhi Sampla-Kiloi by represented Bhupinder Singh Hooda (lead of 42,940 votes), Jhajjar by Geeta Bhukkal (lead of 4,416) and Beri by Raghubir Kadiyan (lead of 25,993 votes). But the BJP’s lead margin in other four constituencies and postal ballots led to Deepender Hooda’s defeat by a margin of over 7,400 votes.

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In Gurgaon parliamentary constituency, Congress-led in the Assembly segments of Nuh (represented by Zakir Hussain) by a margin on 47,858, Ferozepur Jhirka (represented by Naseem Ahmed) by a margin on 81,858 and Punahana (represented by Rahish Khan) by a margin of 59,080. Zakir Hussain and Naseem Ahmed, both have recently joined BJP and are seeking re-election from their respective constituencies.

In Sonipat parliamentary constituency also, although Bhupinder Hooda lost to BJP’s Ramesh Kaushik, but Congress took a lead in Kharkhoda and Baroda Assembly segments. However, it trailed in remaining seven out of total nine Assembly segments in Sonipat Lok Sabha seat.

Except for four parliamentary constituencies of Rohtak, Hisar, Sonipat and Gurgaon, BJP maintained lead on all nine Assembly segments each of the parliamentary constituencies of Ambala, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Bhiwani-Mahendergarh, Faridabad, and Sirsa.

However, even after an impressive victory in Lok Sabha polls, the BJP is not taking any chances with Vidhan Sabha polls. Aiming to register a record victory for itself in state polls, the BJP has infused its entire strength.

“We shall organise at least three-four rallies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Amit Shah will address 12-13 rallies across the state. Various other Union ministers, including J P Nadda, Rajnath Singh, Smriti Irani and several other senior BJP leaders from across the country shall be campaigning for our candidates across the state”, Khattar said Monday.

Khattar, himself, is addressing at least 8-10 public rallies across Haryana and campaigning for party’s nominees to ensure maximum seats are won. All 10 MPs of the party too are going out of their parliamentary constituencies to campaign for other candidates.

In order to increase its winner count in the upcoming Vidhan Sabha polls, the BJP has also fielded turncoats in those constituencies that the party had never won earlier. These include Parminder Singh Dhull in Jullana, Ramchander Kamboj from Rania, Ranvir Gangwa from Nalwa, Zakir Hussain from Nuh, Naseem Ahmad from Ferozpur Jhirka.

Similarly, three international sports stars — Babita Phogat, Yogeshwar Dutt and Sandeep Singh — have also been fielded by the ruling BJP in constituencies of Dadri, Baroda, and Pehowa, the three Assembly segments from where too BJP has never won earlier.

Bhupinder Singh Hooda, however, said that people of the state vote differently in Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls. “The issues in Vidhan Sabha are totally different than what people vote for Lok Sabha. In Vidhan Sabha, people are more concerned about their regional issues, what all the party who they will choose can do for their comfort and benefit. And the incumbent Khattar government has failed on all such parameters. Thus, we are confident that Congress will form the government this time,” Hooda said.