CHANDIGARH: The BJP’s decision to go solo in the Assembly elections in Haryana seems to have paid dividends as the party is all set to form the government in the state on its own for the first time. With just four MLAs in the outgoing Assembly, the party has now won 47 seats.
The BJP now has emerged as a very strong force in the state after having played a minor role for a very long time. The party never fought in more than 26 seats earlier, as it was in alliances with one party or the other, and the most number of seats won then were 16. But this time around, it fought in all 90 seats and won 47 out of them. The vote share of the party is 33. 2 per cent.
The party started on a winning note with the first result being declared in Haryana going to its kitty. Haryana BJP in-charge Kailash Vijaywargiya said, “People of the state wanted a change. Our party cadre and leaders worked very hard. It’s the beginning of a new political era in the state. As it is a historical win for the party, all credit should be given to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for leading the party to this win. In one stroke the BJP has finished the dynastic politics in the state be it Hoodas, Chautalas, Bhajan Lals or Bansi Lals.”
“We will provide an absolutely clean government where people of all sections and regions will get equal opportunity to grow. We will give a transparent and a clean government, as our focus will be on the welfare of the farmers, youth, unemployed, young players and ex-servicemen,” he said.
Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah addressed rallies across the state. Modi’s address at 11 rallies in the state in the run-up to the October 15 polls, has clearly helped the BJP to emerge the undisputed winner.
Earlier, the party had remained in alliances with Haryana Vikas Party and also with the .INLD.
In 2000, when the BJP was the alliance partner of the INLD, they came to power routing the Congress. Then in 2011, the BJP entered into an alliance with Haryana Janhit Congress. However, just before the Assembly elections, the HJC broke its alliance with the BJP.
All the four Chief Ministerial probables of the saffron party Manohar Lal Khattar, Ram Bilas Sharma, Capt Abhimanyu Singh and Om Parkash Dhankhar as well as veteran BJP leader Anil Vij won their respective sets besides others.
Also Latika Sharma, close aid of external Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, won from Kalka but Sushma’s sister Vandana Sharma lost from Safidon to an independent candidate Jasbir Deswal by 1,422 votes.
The ruling Congress could win only 15 seats, while the Indian National Lok Dal managed to get 19 seats.
The Haryana Janhit Congress, which snapped ties with BJP just ahead of polls, managed to win just two seats.
HJC supremo Kuldeep Bishnoi, son of former chief minister Bhajan Lal, won from (Adampur) and his wife Reenuka from Hansi. But the other 63 contestants from the party lost, including Kuldeep’s elder brother Chander Mohan from Nalwa.
The BSP and SAD won one seat each and five independents won. The state had created history by clocking an all-time high polling of about 76.54 per cent, surpassing maximum of 72.65 per cent in 1967.