The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured its third consecutive term in Haryana, winning 48 out of the 90 seats in the state assembly, as per the results declared on Tuesday.
In contrast, the Indian National Congress secured 37 seats. Following the BJP's victory, the party's Haryana State President, Mohan Lal Badoli, placed the blame for the Congress’s defeat squarely on Bhupinder Singh Hooda, a senior leader within the Congress.
Badoli, while addressing the media, stated that Hooda was directly responsible for his party's failure in the elections. “Hooda is responsible for the loss of the Congress party in Haryana. The Congress candidates will give statements. If you ask them, they will tell you what Hooda has done,” Badoli remarked.
His comments suggest that the BJP attributes a significant portion of the Congress’s electoral challenges to Hooda's leadership and decisions.
While the BJP prepares to form the government in Haryana, the party’s leadership is yet to finalise its choice for Chief Minister. When asked whether Nayab Singh Saini, who previously held the position, would reprise his role, Badoli indicated that the decision rests with the party’s national leadership. He added that a decision would likely be made soon, leaving room for speculation over who might take the leadership role for this new term.
In the wake of the election results, the BJP’s position was further strengthened when three independent Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) extended their support to the party.
Devender Kadyan, Rajesh Joon, and Savitri Jindal, all independent MLAs from Haryana, publicly declared their backing for the BJP on Wednesday, a day after the official announcement of the election results.
With their support, the BJP now has a total of 51 MLAs in the state assembly, further solidifying its majority and enabling a smooth formation of the government.
Mohan Lal Badoli expressed confidence in the BJP’s ability to lead Haryana effectively, noting that the additional support from independent MLAs demonstrated trust in the party’s governance and future direction for the state.
In the meantime, Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda, along with other senior Congress figures, met with officials from the Election Commission of India (ECI) to discuss concerns over the election results.
Hooda, speaking to the media after the meeting, revealed that the ECI had assured the Congress party that it would investigate the complaints raised. These complaints primarily concerned alleged discrepancies in the election process, particularly regarding electronic voting machines (EVMs).
The Congress has voiced its concerns over the counting process, claiming that delays and irregularities occurred in several places during vote counting.
They demanded that the ECI seal and secure the ‘faulty’ EVMs until a thorough investigation is conducted to address these issues. Hooda stated, “We have received many complaints. The counting of votes was delayed in several places. The Election Commission has assured us that they are looking into all the complaints.”
A delegation from the Congress, which met with the ECI, included prominent party leaders such as KC Venugopal, Ashok Gehlot, Pratap Singh Bajwa, Jairam Ramesh, Pawan Khera, Ajay Maken, Uday Bhan, and Bhupinder Singh Hooda himself.
The team presented their concerns and urged the ECI to ensure the integrity of the electoral process by investigating the reported discrepancies.
As the BJP gears up to form the government with an increased majority and support from independent MLAs, the Congress continues to express its dissatisfaction with the election process, seeking answers and clarifications from the ECI.
Hooda and other Congress leaders maintain that the integrity of the democratic process must be protected, emphasising their commitment to pursuing the matter until the ECI resolves the complaints raised.
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