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A day after results threw up a hung assembly in Haryana, the scene of action shifted to Delhi with Haryana Chief Minister M L Khattar and his Congress rival Bhupinder Singh Hooda in the city to strategise on formation of government.
After Independent Sirsa MLA Gopal Kanda extended his support to the BJP to form government in Haryana, senior party leader Uma Bharti warned the BJP against taking his help, on Friday, 25 October.
Kanda is facing trial on the charges of abetting suicide of a flight attendant, Geetika Sharma, in 2012.
After the poll results came out on Thursday, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fell six short of the halfway mark needed to form the next government.
BJP Haryana in-charge Anil Jain said they will stake claim to form government in the state on Saturday, 26 October.
He said, “There will be a meeting of legislative party tomorrow at 11 am in Chandigarh. FM Sitharaman and General Secretary Arun Singh will be there as Observers. Leader of legislative party will be elected tomorrow. After that we'll meet Guv to stake claims to form govt in Haryana.”
Senior BJP leader Uma Bharti warns party against taking Independent MLA Gopal Kanda’s support in Haryana.
Dharampal Gondan and Sombir Sangwan met BJP working President JP Nadda at his residence in New Delhi and extended support to the saffron party, BJP leader Jawahar Yadav told PTI.
“All independent candidates have extended their unconditional support to BJP," said Gopal Kanda, the Independent MLA from Sirsa Assembly constituency.
"My father was associated with the RSS since 1926, fought the first general elections of the country after independence on Jansangh ticket,” he added.
Haryana Lokhit Party leader Gopal Kanda, the lone winning candidate from Sirsa Assembly constituency, extended his support to the BJP. He is facing trial in the abetment to suicide case of an air hostess, Geetika Sharma.
Even Nayan Pal Rawat, Independent candidate from Haryana's Prithala, said he met BJP Working President JP Nadda and extended his support to the BJP.
Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) leader Dushyant Chautala, who has emerged as kingmaker in Haryana, will meet his father, Ajay Chautala, in Tihar jail later on Friday.
Haryana JJP President Sardar Nishant Singh said that while he has invitation from both the sides, they will decide whom they will side with after a meeting.
“We have invitation from both the sides. We'll take our decision only after discussing with our elected candidates. If there is no clear majority for BJP, obviously the mandate is against them. We will decide our stand after the meeting,” said Singh.
Haryana CM ML Khattar to hold meetings with BJP Working President JP Nadda and party's Haryana in-charge Anil Jain on Friday, 25 October.
He will be meeting the party's senior leadership and discuss the way forward in the wake of the BJP needing support of a few MLAs to form the government.
Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday late night held a meeting with party's Working President JP Nadda and Haryana in-charges Anil Jain and BL Santhosh.
After meeting BJP Working President J P Nadda, along with Haryana Lokhit Party leader Gopal Kanda, BJP MP Sunita Duggal told the media, "I informed our senior leaders about the independent candidates and leaders from other parties, who are willing to extend their unconditional support to us, they are in contact with them."
Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) leader Dushyant Chautala, who has emerged as kingmaker in Haryana, will be meeting his 10 legislators in Delhi on Friday to decide which party to support in order to form the next government in the state, sources said on Thursday.
The Haryana Assembly poll verdict threw up a fractured mandate with the Congress winning 31 of the 90 seats at stake and the BJP bagging 40 seats. The half-way mark is 46.
Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Thursday, 24 October urged all “parties who got mandate against BJP” to come together to form a government.
“People of Haryana have given their mandate against the BJP state government. All the parties who got mandate against BJP, be it INLD, JJP, Congress, independents or some other party, should come together and form a strong government,” he said.
Two of the eight Independent candidates, who registered a victory in the Haryana Assembly polls on Thursday, were taken to Delhi by a BJP MP, PTI sources said.
Independents Gopal Kanda and Ranjeet Singh were taken to Delhi by a chartered plane by Sirsa MP Sunita Duggal.
Kanda and Singh told the media before boarding the plane that they will support the party which will work for the development of Sirsa.
Meanwhile, Duggal refused to comment on rushing the two Independent candidates to the national capital, saying it was an "internal matter."
The BJP parliamentary board authorised party Chief Amit Shah on Thursday to take all decisions regarding government formation in Haryana and Maharashtra, according to PTI.
The board, which is the apex organisational body of the BJP, met in New Delhi after the party won a majority of seats in alliance with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and appeared set to form government in Haryana as well after emerging as the single largest party.
Party sources said there will be no change in chief ministers of any state, a decision on expected lines.
Addressing the party workers in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "Even before Diwali, people of Haryana and Maharashtra have put their faith in BJP. I want to thank them from the core of my heart."
"For BJP to come to power in Haryana, where parties traditionally have occupied power interchangeably, is an achievement," Modi said.
Modi accepted that some anti-incumbency was at play and the "3 percent increase in vote-share is praiseworthy."
Addressing the party workers in New Delhi, BJP President Amit Shah said, "In Haryana have seen a 3 percent increase in our vote share since the last time and we have emerged as the largest party there. I thank the people for this."
Wrestler and BJP candidate Babita Phogat was decimated in her political debut from Haryana's Dadri. She stood third in the contest, in which an Independent candidate defeated Jannayak Janata Party's Satpal Sangwan by a margin of 14,272 votes.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the people of Haryana and lauded the party workers for their hard work who "toiled extensively and went among the people to elaborate on our development agenda."
BJP President Amit Shah thanked the voters for making the BJP the largest party in Haryana and giving it "another opportunity to serve them."
As Election Commission's trends indicating a hung Assembly in Haryana, Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda on Thursday alleged that BJP is trying to "pressurise" independent candidates to help them form their government, according to ANI.
He also appealed to non-BJP parties to form a coalition government in Haryana.
Senior Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi has defeated BJP candidate and TikTok star Sonali Phogat from his stronghold Adampur Assembly constituency in Haryana's Hisar district.
BJP’s Haryana chief Subhash Barala, rumoured to have resigned from his position, told news agency ANI that nothing of that sort has happened, putting an end to all the rumours doing the rounds.
He said t that the news of his resignation is nothing but a rumour.
Bakshish Singh Virk, BJP MLA who threatened people for voting against BJP, saying that pressing any button will cast the vote to BJP, is trailing behind Congress' Shamsher Singh Gogi and BSP's Narendra Singh.
One of BJP's key candidates for Assembly polls, Captain Abhimanyu, lost his Narnaund Constituency.
JJP chief Dushyant Chautala has won from his Uchana Kalan seat.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala has lost the Kaithal constituency to BJP’s Leela Ram by 567 votes.
The Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) got its first declared victory, from the Shahbad (SC) constituency. JJP's Ram Karan defeated BJP's Krishan Kumar by more than 37,000 votes. Kumar had won the seat by 562 votes in 2014.
Former CM and Congress candidate from Garhi Sampla-Kiloi, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, while addressing a press conference on the election result, said that the Congress will approach everyone and discuss everything as the mandate becomes clearer.
Taking a dig at the ruling party, Hooda added that the people of Haryana have "united against the BJP,” he said.
Captain Abhimanyu, Haryana Finance Minister and BJP’s candidate from Narnaund constituency in Hisar district, said he feels the public mandate is in favour of Jannnayak Janta Party (JJP).
Haryana BJP President, Subhash Barala has tendered his resignation from the post, due to the party’s performance in the assembly, according to media reports.
Congress’ Mamman Khan, emerged as the first declared winner for the party in Haryana, as he defeated BJP candidate Naseem Ahmed by more than 36,000 votes.
Jannayak Janata Party chief Dushyant Chautala, on reports of the Congress offering him CM post, said that he has not been approached by anyone and no discussion has happened yet.
Reports suggest that the BJP has already authorised its ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to talk to the JJP, with whom the Akalis have an alliance in Haryana, The Hindu reported.
Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi, referring to the BJP’s performance in Haryana, said that the people have shown BJP ‘Votebandi’, after being fed up of the ‘Mandi’ (referring to economic slowdown).
Seven Haryana ministers, including Ram Bilas Sharma and Capt Abhimanyu, and State BJP chief Subhash Barala were trailing, as per early Election Commission trends.
Haryana Assembly Speaker Kanwar Pal, a BJP legislator from Jagadhri, was also trailing in his constituency behind Congress' Akram Khan by a margin of 5,889 votes.
Sharma, a five-time legislator, was trailing by a slim margin of 329 votes against Congress' Rao Dan Singh.
Abhimanyu, sitting MLA from Narnaund, was trailing by a margin of 9,956 behind JJP's Ram Kumar Gautam.
State BJP chief Barala was trailing by a margin of 10,383 behind Jannayak Janta Party's Devender Singh Babli from Tohana seat.
BJP’s candidate for Gurgaon, Sudhir Singla is leading by 9,678 votes, ahead of independent candidate Mohit Grover.
JJP workers in Jind celebrate as their party is leading on 13 assembly seats.
Haryana Congress chief Kumari Selja, on the close fight between the Congress and BJP in the state, said that the people have given the verdict. She said that the people are now fed up of BJP’s misgovernance.
Former Indian hockey captain and BJP candidate from Pehowa, Sandeep Singh is leading by 1,606 votes as per official EC trends
Gian Chand Gupta, BJP's candidate from Panchkula, is leading ahead of Congress' Chander Mohan.
With the Congress closing in on the BJP in the number of seats the party is leading in, and the JJP proving to be the underdog, with a lead in about 12 seats, a close fight is being witnessed in 25 seats, with a margin of less than 1000 votes.
Interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi has reportedly spoken to BS Hooda and given him a free hand, CNN News18 reported, quoting sources.
Senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala was trailing by a margin of 2,423 votes over the ruling BJP's Leela Ram.
Surjewala is seeking re-election from Kaithal constituency.
The Congress leader had lost the Jind bypolls, which were held earlier this year.
The BJP high command has summoned Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to Delhi, multiple media reports suggest.
After reports of the Congress reaching out to the JJP surfaced, offering a post-poll alliance and the chief minister’s post, JJP chief Dushyant Chautala was quoted saying that he is ready to form an alliance and will support which ever is willing to give the JJP the CM’s chair.
JJP President Dushyant Chautala, after reports of the Congress reaching out to him to offer a post-poll alliance, said that he believes that his party holds the “keys” to the state Assembly.
"It is too early to say, but I believe the keys are in the hands of the JJP. The decision is not for me to make. There will be a national executive, a legislative party leader to be chosen...such decisions will be taken then,” Dushyant Chautala told NDTV.
Cabinet minister Captain Abhimanyu, contesting from a BJP ticket is trailing from his constituency with 3,278 votes, behind JJP's Ram Kumar Gautam, who is at 5,106 votes.
Trends at 10 am showed the gap between BJP and Congress closing in, with the BJP leading in 37 seats and the Congress ahead in 34 constituencies.
The underdog JJP is ahead in 10 constituencies as of 10 am.
According to BJP’s performance in the initial stages of counting in Haryana, there is a stark decline between the party’s vote share from 2014 Assembly polls, where teh ruling party won 47 seats, securing a majority by itself.
According to early trends, the BJP leads in 40 seats while the Congress is ahead in 31 constituencies. The Congress won only 15 seats in the 2014 elections.
Dushyant Chautala’s JJP is leading in 12 seats, while the gap between the BJP and Congress closes in, with BJP ahead of Congress by a lead in just seven constituencies.
The Jannayak Janata Party is coming third, according to early trends, with the party proving to be the third most popular in the state, holding a lead in nine constituencies, behind BJP's lead in 42 seats and Congress' lead in 24 seats.
The counting is on in at least 82 of the total 90 constituencies.
Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda is leading by 300 votes from the Garhi Sampla-Kiloli constituency, early trends suggest.
10th CM of Haryana Chief Minister Manoharlal Khattar, is leading from his Karnal constituency.
JJP president and candidate from the Uchana Kalan constituency, Dushyant Singh Chautala is leading from his constituency, ahead of BJP's Prem Lata.
The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) opened its account with a seat in Barwala, while the BJP marched further ahead of competition, with a lead in 27 seats.
The Congress leads in 15 seats.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, contesting from the Kaithal constituency, is leading ahead of BJP's Leela Ram and Independent candidate Naresh Kumar.
The BJP continued overtaking the Congress in Haryana, as the ruling party took a lead in 19 seats, as opposed to Congress' lead in 11 constituencies.
Indian wrestlers Yogeshwar Dutt and Babita Phogat, both contesting on a BJP ticket, are leading in their respective constituencies of Baroda and Dadri.
The BJP has taken the lead over Congress, as the trends showed the party ahead in 13 seats.
The Congress' number remains same, with a lead in 10 constituencies.
Both the BJP and the Indian National Congress are leading in 10 seats each, with others leading in three constituencies.
The BJP had briefly taken a lead over the grand old party, according to early trends.
With the numbers coming in for 15 constituencies, the BJP showed leads in six constituencies, while the grand old party was ahead in seven seats.
Others, including regional parties and independents, were leading in two constituencies, early trends show.
According to early trends, the BJP opened its account with a lead in Ambala cantt. The party has also taken a lead in Karnal, one of the most important constituency in the state, Sonepat and Faridabad.
The Congress, on the other hand, leads in Kalka, and Garhi Sampla Kiloi apart from the Kharkhauda seat.
The JJP leads in the Narwana constituency, while the INLD+ is leading in Uchana Kalan.
The Indian National Congress got its first lead from the Kharkhauda seat in Haryana’s Sonepat district. The IND opened the account in Haryana, as it got the first lead from the seat in Pundri.
Brisk voting took place on Wednesday at the five booths where repolling was ordered by the Election Commission, with one centre recording a voter turnout of over 90 percent.
Some "shortcomings" had been noticed during elections on Monday, 21 October, after which re-polling was ordered in these booths, state's joint chief electoral officer Dr Inder Jeet said.
The re-polling was held between 7 am and 6 pm and it remained peaceful, he said.
Giving details, he said the polling percentage recorded in booth number 71 of Uchana Kalan Assembly constituency in Jind district was 90.7 percent, 71.5 percent in 161 of Beri constituency in Jhajjar district, 71.09 percent in booth number 28 of Narnaul Assembly constituency, 84.19 percent in booth number 18 of Kosli in district Rewari and 75.98 percent in booth number 113 of Prithla in Faridabad district.
Wrestler Babita Phogat, BJP's candidate for Dadri assembly constituency, before the counting began, said that she has faith in the public and herself, saying that people's love and support is her strength and is what keeps her going.
Haryana Election Result: 3-Tier Security System in Place
The counting of votes in Haryana will take place on Thursday with the BJP looking to retain power.
A counting centre has been set up in each of the 90 Assembly constituencies and there is an additional centre in Gurgaon’s Badshahpur segment, which had a larger number of polling booths, according to PTI.
The electronic voting machines (EVMs) and the VVPAT paper trail machines used in Monday’s polling are kept at 90 strongrooms set up at 59 different locations, Haryana’s Joint Chief Electoral Officer Inder Jeet said.
State police personnel and paramilitary forces are guarding the strongrooms round the clock, Jeet added.
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Published: 23 Oct 2019,05:29 AM IST