Hung assembly in Haryana? While most of the exit polls have predicted an overwhelming majority for the Bharatiya Janata Party in Haryana, India Today-Axis My India exit poll says that Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who is eyeing a second consecutive term in office, will not have a cakewalk after all. Khattar had thanked voters after several exit polls showed the BJP retaining power in Haryana, winning an overwhelming majority. Haryana, which voted on Monday, recorded 65 per cent voter turnout. Results will be announced on Thursday, October 24.
The BJP had won 47 seats in Haryana in 2014, however, the India Today-Axis My India survey says the party may win only 32-44 seats this time. The Congress is predicted to come a close second winning 30-42 seats in the 90-member Haryana assembly.
Apart from the neck-and-neck fight predicted between the Congress and BJP, Dushyant Chautala’s Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) is expected to win 6-10 seats, the India Today-Axis My India survey said. Similarly, others and independents have been predicted to win 6-10 seats. In case both the BJP and Congress fail to touch the magic mark of 45 seats, the JJP could eventually find itself in the kingmaker’s role.
If Congress manages a tally close to this exit poll prediction, it would be seen as a great achievement by the party which has been struggling to contain the infighting in the state unit.
Ashok Tanwar walked out of the party almost on the eve of polls after being removed from the post of state president. Tanwar’s exit came after veteran party leader and former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda had put the Congress on notice demanding a change in the state leadership. Ashok Tanwar, who had alleged that Congress poll tickets were distributed taking money, later announced support for the JJP.