In preparation for the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has announced the appointment of former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, party leader Ajay Maken, and Partap Singh Bajwa as senior observers for the polls.
With the Congress fielding candidates for 89 out of 90 assembly seats—leaving one seat for the Communist Party of India (Marxist)—the party has decided to go it alone after failing to form a seat-sharing agreement with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Haryana is expected to witness a triangular contest between the BJP, Congress, and AAP.
The BJP, which has governed Haryana for the last ten years, faces increased pressure from the Congress, particularly after the two parties split the state’s 10 Lok Sabha seats evenly in the 2024 general election. The Congress is hoping to capitalize on this momentum in the state.
Haryana Chief Electoral Officer Pankaj Agarwal has confirmed that 1,561 candidates have filed 1,747 nominations for the October 5 election. The final list of candidates will be published on September 16, the deadline for withdrawal of nominations. The results of the assembly election, held alongside those in Jammu and Kashmir, will be counted on October 8.
With an increasingly competitive political landscape, Congress’s strategy under the leadership of Gehlot, Maken, and Bajwa will be closely watched as the state heads toward a high-stakes election.