Fewer votes polled in Haryana as exit polls predict Congress's victory

Chandigarh: The Haryana assembly elections on Saturday saw a turnout of over 66 per cent, with several exit polls predicting a clear majority for the Congress, which is eyeing a comeback after a decade.

According to the Election Commission's statement, the single phase of polls in 90 assembly seats held from 7 am to 6 pm concluded largely peacefully, except for stray incidents of minor scuffles.

Poll panel data available at 11:55 pm showed the turnout was 66.96 per cent. However, it will increase once all information comes in, said officials.

In the 2019 assembly polls, Haryana had recorded around 68 per cent turnout while in the Lok Sabha elections for 10 seats earlier this year, the percentage was 64.8.

With a significant population of elderly voters, many above the age of 100 years were seen participating in the electoral festivities with enthusiasm, the poll panel said.

The BJP, the Congress, the INLD-BSP and the JJP-Azad Samaj Party alliances, and the Aam Aadmi Party are the key poll contestants. However, a direct fight between the ruling BJP and Congress was expected in most seats.

A total of 1,031 candidates are in the fray, including 101 women and 464 Independent nominees. Counting will be taken up on October 8.

Dainik Bhaskar predicted that the Congress would get 44-54 seats and the BJP 15-29 seats. The C-Voter-India Today polls gave Congress 50-58 seats and the BJP 20-28 seats, while the Republic Bharat-Matrize polls put the Congress tally even higher at 55-62 seats as against the BJP's 18-24.

The Red Mike-Datansh exit poll gave the Congress 50-55 seats and the BJP at 20-25, while Dhruv Research pegged the Congress at 50-64 and the BJP at 22-32.

Peoples' Pulse exit poll gave the Congress 49-60 seats and the BJP 20-32 seats. Most exit polls pegged the INLD's tally higher than that of the JJP, while others were seen getting up to 10 seats.

Speaking to reporters after the exit poll predictions, former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda exuded confidence about the Congress forming government in the state with a comfortable majority and reiterated that the party high command will decide on the CM pick based on the opinions of the legislators.

Incumbent Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini also asserted the BJP will form the government for a third time with a big mandate.

Interacting with reporters in Kurukshetra after the polling was over, he said in the last 10 years, the BJP government worked for every section.

"Haryana was made free from 'kshetravad' (regional bias), 'parivarvaad', and discrimination against the state," he said while replying to a question on exit polls.

Among the top names in the fray besides Saini are BJP's Anil Vij and O P Dhankar, Congress's Hooda and Vinesh Phogat, INLD's Abhay Singh Chautala and JJP's Dushyant Chautala.

Election Commission data available at 11:55 pm showed Fatehabad district recording 74.51 per cent polling, Kaithal 72.21 per cent, Mahendragarh 70.45 per cent, Nuh 72.83 per cent, Palwal 73.25 per cent, Sirsa 73.09 per cent and Yamunanagar 73.27 per cent.

Among other districts, Ambala recorded 67.57 per cent polling, Bhiwani 65.63 per cent, Hisar 68.99 per cent, Jind 68.98 per cent, Kurukshetra 67.11 per cent, Panipat 67.98 per cent, Rewari 62.85 per cent and Rohtak 65.53 per cent while Sonipat recorded 64.52 per cent voting.

However, districts like Gurgaon reported a lesser poll percentage.

Gurgaon recorded 57.73 per cent voting, Faridabad 55.46 per cent, Charkhi Dadri 58.10 per cent and Panchkula 54.71 per cent.

Among the Assembly segments, 78.10 per cent polling was recorded in Jagadhri seat in Yamunanagar, 75.04 per cent in Kaithal, 75.44 per cent in Uchana Kalan from where the JJP's Dushyant Chautala is seeking re-election, 70 per cent in Ladwa from where CM Saini is fighting and 67.02 per cent in Garhi Sampla-Kiloi in Rohtak, the constituency from where Bhupinder Hooda is seeking re-election.

Badkhal assembly seat in Faridabad district recorded a lower turnout of 47.29 per cent.

In Nuh district, there was a clash among supporters of the Congress' sitting MLA from Punhana and Independent candidate Rahish Khan in a village in the constituency which left three injured.

In Panipat's Nohra village, police said they had received information of a fight at a polling booth resulting in serious injury to one person, who had to be hospitalised. There were also reports of minor scuffles between supporters of rival candidates in Hisar district's Narnaund and in Sirsa.

Haryana Jan Sevak Party nominee from Meham constituency Balraj Kundu accused former MLA Anand Singh Dangi of assaulting him and his assistant at a polling booth.

Saini cast his vote in his native Mirza village in Ambala district's Naraingarh.

Among the first voters to exercise their franchise was Union Minister and former Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who voted in Karnal.

Double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker (22) exercised her franchise for the first time. She was accompanied by her parents when they went to cast their votes in Jhajjar district's Goria village. Bhaker also appealed to the people, especially the youngsters, to come out and vote.

Congress stalwarts Hooda, Kumari Selja and Randeep Singh Surjewala, who also exercised their right to vote, said their party would form the next government.

BJP Kurukshetra MP Naveen Jindal went to cast his vote on a horse. "Riding a horse is considered auspicious and people ride horses while going to attend weddings. That is why I came on a horse for this auspicious work," he said.

US-based software engineer Rashika Gupta said she has returned home to exercise her franchise. "I came here to vote for the development of Kaithal," she told PTI.

Sunil Kumar, a groom from Kurukshetra district, went to cast his vote before tying the knot. "I want to give the message to all that voting is very important. Nobody should waste their vote."

Congress candidate and Olympic wrestler Phogat urged people to recognise their power and exercise their franchise as "today is the day of change".

She is contesting from the Julana assembly constituency in the Jind district.

Wrestler and Congress leader Bajrang Punia said there is a Congress wave in Haryana and claimed the party would win 60 to 70 seats.

Saini, Khattar, BJP's Kuldeep Bishnoi and his family, and JJP's Dushyant Chautala and his family were among the early voters.

The AAP's Haryana unit senior vice-president Anurag Dhanda cast his vote in Kalayat, the constituency he is contesting from.

In Hisar, senior Congress leader Selja said people of Haryana have been waiting for the assembly election to change the current dispensation in the state and bring her party to power.

Abhay Chautala, who cast his vote in Sirsa district, said his party's alliance will form the government. "Neither the Congress nor the BJP will win a majority. INLD-BSP will come to power," he claimed.

Dushyant Chautala, whose party is contesting the polls in alliance with the Azad Samaj Party, appealed to the people to ensure that their votes decide the future of the state.

There are more than 2.03 crore eligible voters in the state and 20,632 polling booths were set up. A total of 144 polling stations were designated as model ones.

Besides, 115 polling stations were entirely managed by women staff, 114 by young government employees and 87 by differently-abled employees.