Haryana Election Results 2024: BJP eyes hat-trick in Haryana; Congress celebrations cut short

Haryana Election Results 2024:  The race for Haryana's Assembly seats has taken a dramatic turn, with the BJP now poised for a hat-trick in the state. As of 11.14 am, the BJP is leading. This shift has put a pause on Congress celebrations, which began early at their headquarters in New Delhi, where supporters danced to dhol beats, anticipating a win.

Despite exit polls suggesting a comfortable win for the Congress in the Haryana election results with an estimated 55 seats—well above the halfway mark of 45—the BJP’s stronger-than-expected performance has flipped the script. Exit polls had projected the BJP securing just 26 seats, but the party has now pulled ahead, challenging the initial predictions.

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini expressed optimism about the BJP's prospects, saying, "We have made significant developmental strides over the last decade. The foundation laid by former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar will continue to benefit Haryana for years to come. Our focus is on taking this progress forward." Saini, who succeeded Khattar as CM in March, addressed mediapersons with renewed confidence.

While early trends suggested a Congress win, the party's supporters have now tempered their celebrations, holding onto hope that the final results might still swing in their favour.

In the 2019 Haryana Assembly elections, the BJP secured 40 seats, while the Congress won 31 and the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) bagged 10. The BJP formed a coalition government with the JJP, with Dushyant Chautala as the Deputy Chief Minister. However, the alliance dissolved earlier this year, with Saini taking over as the Chief Minister.

This year's elections are crucial for both parties. For the BJP, which won only five of the 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana earlier this year—down from a clean sweep in 2019—it’s an opportunity to reaffirm its popularity with voters. Meanwhile, the Congress is eyeing a comeback after being dismissed as a serious contender following consecutive defeats in the 2014 and 2019 general elections. Their performance in both Haryana and the simultaneous elections in Jammu & Kashmir is being seen as a key test of the party’s revival.