Voters opt for hat trick in Haryana Assembly Polls

Haryana  
The opinion and exit polls proved to be largely inaccurate for several media channels, as voters in Haryana disregarded the predictions and paved the way for a third consecutive victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Despite both major national parties—BJP and Congress—gaining seats compared to their previous tallies, regional parties were seemingly overlooked by voters. This raises the question of whether voters are increasingly favouring only national parties in their electoral choices, as evidenced by the Haryana polls.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which governs Punjab and Delhi, failed to win a single seat in Haryana, indicating that BJP's electoral strategy was effective in securing a third term. While the vote percentage between BJP and Congress was narrow, BJP still managed to secure a majority, winning 48 seats compared to Congress's 37. The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) won 2 seats, and independents claimed 3 seats.

Jammu & Kashmir
In Jammu and Kashmir, the BJP performed well in the Jammu region, while the Congress-led alliance with the National Conference (NC) secured a majority in the state assembly elections. The increased voter turnout reflects a restoration of peace and a renewed faith in the democratic process. The newly elected state government will now be responsible for continuing the development projects currently underway.

The final tally saw JKNC winning 42 seats, BJP securing 29, Congress 6, independents 7, and JKPDP with 3 seats. Despite high expectations, the JKPDP failed to make a significant impact in this election. As tourism remains the largest industry in Kashmir, the new government will be tasked with maintaining peace, unity, and prosperity in the region.

Punjab
The process for Panchayat elections is underway in Punjab, with voting scheduled for October 15, 2024. These elections are crucial to the democratic setup, particularly for rural and remote development. Panchayat bodies hold significant powers for local development, and although candidates are running without party symbols, it remains to be seen which political affiliations they align with after the results are announced.

The key national parties—Congress, BJP, AAP, SAD (Badal), SAD (Amritsar), and BSP—have a strong presence in rural areas. Once results are out, it will become clearer which party-affiliated candidates have triumphed.

Interestingly, in both Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir's assembly elections, the issue of inflation seemed to take a back seat, with voters prioritizing the theme of "Nation First."

Authored by:
Rajat Kumar Mohindru  
Journalist,  
Jalandhar City.