As the vote counting for the 2024 Haryana Assembly elections continues, former Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda expressed strong confidence in his party’s victory. Speaking on Tuesday, Hooda asserted that Congress is set to form the next government in Haryana with a significant margin of victory.
“There is no doubt, Congress is going to form the government with a huge margin. The party will decide (the CM face). Congress will bring its own majority. The credit goes to all the party leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and most importantly, the people of Haryana,” Hooda said in a statement, exuding optimism about the ongoing election trends.
According to the latest data from the Election Commission (EC) at 11:10 am, the BJP is currently leading with 49 seats, while the Congress trails closely with 35 seats. Smaller parties, including the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), are each leading in one seat. Additionally, four seats are currently being led by independents and smaller parties.
Although several exit polls had predicted a Congress victory, the current trends suggest that the BJP may be on course to secure a third consecutive term in the Haryana Assembly. If the trend holds, the BJP could celebrate a hat-trick of wins in the state.
One of the key constituencies to watch is Ladwa, where Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini is leading by 840 votes against Congress’ Mewa Singh. This constituency could play a pivotal role in deciding the final outcome for the ruling BJP.
Bhupinder Singh Hooda himself is leading from the Garhi Sampla-Kiloi seat with a significant margin of 16,823 votes over his nearest rival, BJP candidate Manju. Hooda’s victory would be a symbolic win for Congress as they attempt to regain control of the state after several years in opposition.
On the other hand, BJP leader Anil Vij took a swipe at Congress, stating that the people of Haryana are showing their discontent with the party. “We can see the people of Haryana teaching a lesson to Congress. In the morning, they (Congress) opened their ‘Jhooth ki dukaan’ (shop of lies). Within Congress, there are people who want Hooda to lose, and they were the ones who were bursting crackers,” Vij told ANI.
As the counting progresses, all eyes remain on the final tally, with both Congress and BJP vying for a majority in the 90-seat Haryana Assembly. Hooda’s confident statements reflect Congress’ belief that they will turn the trends in their favor, while the BJP continues to edge ahead, determined to retain power.