The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured a third consecutive term in Haryana, winning 48 seats in the 90-member Assembly. This victory comes as a surprise to many, including the Congress party, which managed to secure only 37 seats despite pre-poll predictions suggesting otherwise.
The election results, announced on 8 October 2024, saw the BJP emerge as the largest party. Incumbent Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini won from the Ladwa constituency with a margin of 16,054 votes. The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) claimed two seats, while three independent candidates also emerged victorious.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated the BJP's win, describing it as a “victory of truth, development, and good governance” in the “land of Gita”. Union Home Minister Amit Shah called the victory “massive”, attributing it to the trust placed in the BJP government by various sections of society.
Voter turnout for the election stood at 67.90%, with 0.38% of voters choosing the None of the Above (NOTA) option. The BJP secured 39.94% of the vote share, narrowly edging out the Congress at 39.09%.
However, the Congress party has raised concerns about the electoral process. Jairam Ramesh, Congress General Secretary, stated, “Results in Haryana are totally unexpected and surprising. They go against ground reality and the sentiment of the people which was for change.” He alleged issues with the counting process and the functioning of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in approximately 14 constituencies.
The Congress has announced its intention to address these concerns with the Election Commission of India (ECI). In response, the ECI dismissed the allegations as unfounded, stating there was no evidence to support claims of delayed result updates.
The BJP's victory follows a surprise leadership change just months before the polls, with Nayab Singh Saini replacing Manohar Lal Khattar as Chief Minister. This decision was successful, defying exit poll predictions of a Congress sweep.
Chief Minister Saini attributed the victory to Prime Minister Modi's guidance, stating, “I give full credit to Modi ji. With his blessings, under his guidance, people of Haryana have put a stamp on the government's policies.”
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) failed to secure any seats in the election. AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal commented on the results, warning against overconfidence in elections and emphasising the importance of taking every contest seriously.
In a notable outcome, Congress candidate and wrestler Vinesh Phogat won the Julana Assembly seat, defeating BJP nominee Yogesh Kumar by 6,015 votes. Phogat described her first electoral win as a “victory of struggle” and a “victory of truth”.
The election results have drawn reactions from political figures in other states. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed optimism about the BJP's prospects in upcoming Maharashtra elections. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma viewed the result as a confirmation of public faith in Prime Minister Modi's promises.
Communist Party of India (CPI) General Secretary D. Raja suggested that the Congress should reflect on its Haryana loss and collaborate with INDIA bloc partners in future polls in Maharashtra and Jharkhand.
