About 67.90 per cent of 2.03 crore voters in Haryana cast their ballot in Saturday’s assembly elections — a slight drop from the 68.31 per cent voter turnout in the previous election in 2019. Ellenabad assembly seat in Sirsa district witnessed the highest polling percentage at over 80 per cent, according to the updated figures of the Election Commission on Sunday.

Among the districts, the highest 75.36 per cent voting was recorded in Sirsa and the lowest 56.49 per cent in Faridabad district, informed the state’s Chief Electoral Officer Pankaj Agarwal.

With still two days remaining until the counting day, both national parties — the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress — are interpreting the voter turnout to their advantage. The lower voter turnout in the urban areas than their rural counterparts is also being taken as favouring them though a detailed analysis would be done in the coming days before the counting day.

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini was quick to claim that the BJP was well on its way to form the government for the third time in a row. However, party poll strategists are in the process of analyzing the seat-wise data to arrive at a conclusion about the poll outcome.

A BJP leader said:  “Usually a lower voter turnout should favour the BJP. Since we have a dedicated cadre vote, which coupled with ‘silent voters’, should stand the saffron party in good stead. We will spring a surprise on the date of counting.” He further said that in case of multi-cornered contests on at least 20 seats, BJP would be a major gainer as the Congress vote would get divided among the INLD-BSP, the JJP-ASP and the Independent candidates.

“On almost 70 seats, where there is a direct contest between the BJP and the Congress, the Congress vote would also be polled to other parties and Independents making it anybody’s game,” added the BJP leader.

Kiran Choudhary dismisses Haryana exit polls; Says BJP to form next Govt

Dismissing the Haryana exit polls, BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Kiran Choudhary said that the saffron party will again form government in the state. She compared the situation to previous exit polls during the Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Himachal Pradesh elections, where despite predictions, the Government was hardly formed. “We will form the government in Haryana, I assure you,” she added.

The BJP secured a maximum of 40 seats in the 90-member House in the 2019 Assembly elections when the voting percentage of 67.9 percent was one of the lowest in State’s electoral history. The BJP polled 36.49 per cent vote share in the 2019 elections. Surprisingly, in 2014, when Haryana recorded the highest voting percentage of 76.13, the party won 47 seats with 33 per cent vote share.

However, countering the BJP leaders, Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee media head Kewal Dhingra told The Pioneer that ‘strong anti-incumbency’ against the BJP was a major reason for the Congress’ return to power in Haryana after 10 years. “When odds are stacked against the BJP in view of anti-incumbency, the voting percentage would not matter much. The Congress is set to form the government,” said Dhingra.

Cong Govt would be formed with a huge majority: Hooda

Talking to reporters in Rohtak, former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Sunday said that the Congress Government would be formed in the state with a huge majority. A lot of development works would be carried out in the state as soon as the Congress comes to power and starts implementing its election manifesto. “Exit polls may have come after the voting, but the people had already made up their mind in this regard,” he said, while interacting with the media in Rohtak.

Hooda expressed gratitude to the voters of the state for peaceful polling. “BJP did not have any poll plank as it had failed to bring any worthwhile project to the state in its two successive tenures…Criminals and miscreants are committing crimes fearlessly. It seems as if there is no government in the state. The situation will change when the Congress government is formed. We will not allow crime and drugs to exist in Haryana,” he promised.

Earlier, a delegation comprising members of the agitating Rice Millers and Dealers Association met Hooda, who assured them of fulfilling their demands after the formation of a Congress Government in the state. “Presently, you should take a decision keeping in mind the farmers’ interests and empathize with them. Farmers are continuously reaching the markets with paddy and are worried due to its non-purchase,” said Hooda.

Chief Ministerial race in Cong heats up

With the completion of polling, the senior Congress leaders started claiming that the party would get an “absolute majority” with some of them not shying away from projecting themselves as probable CM candidates. Staking their respective claims for the top post, they, however, also made a common refrain — it is the Congress high command that will take the final call on the issue in the event of the party’s victory.

The leading frontrunner in this race is the senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who had been a two-time Chief Minister from 2005 till 2014. He has also spearheaded the party’s campaign in the Assembly polls and in the recent Lok Sabha elections.

Talking to reporters, 77-year-old Hooda said, “I am not retired yet. It is the Congress party that will form the government. It will be the party high command that will decide who will be the chief minister.”

Sirsa MP Kumari Selja is also being seen as a major contender for the CM’s post. Apart from being a prominent Dalit face, she is also known for her proximity with the Gandhis. “The Congress cannot rule out my vast experience and my unquestionable loyalty towards the party. I am a loyal soldier of the Congress and will always remain with the Congress. Everybody knows the decision about who will be the Congress CM is always taken by the party high command,” 62-year-old Selja added.

There is also a buzz in the Congress circles that if Hooda bows out of the CM race, his son and Rohtak MP, Deepender Hooda, would emerge as a “formidable claimant” for the CM’s chair. “Whatever Selja ji has said, there is nothing wrong in it. There is a proper procedure in Congress. The first priority is for the party to get a majority and form the government. A meeting takes place at the level of party high command, the elected MLAs are consulted and the final decision is taken by the party high command,” said Deepender Hooda.

Junior Hooda added, “Congress party has its own system and process (to select CM face) and it has been going on for decades, party high command decides all these things. Our aim was not the post but to bring a change and bring Congress party's government. The way Rahul Gandhi has fought with truthfulness and honesty made a mood in favour of Congress in the entire country— it will convey a message to the entire North India. We remain there on the ground, all 365 days and hence we understand what is going to happen, last time also I said that the slogan of ‘75 paar’ (of BJP) is nothing.”