GUWAHATI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to form the government in Haryana for the third consecutive term, securing leads in 49 assembly seats, according to the latest Election Commission of India (ECI) trends.
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Despite strong anti-incumbency sentiments and a robust challenge from the Congress, the BJP has managed to thwart a potential Congress comeback, solidifying its position in the state. As of 4:15 PM, the Congress is leading in 36 seats, while independent candidates have taken the lead in three, and the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) is ahead in two constituencies.
Notably, Haryana’s Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda, and Independent candidate Savitri Jindal have all claimed victories in their respective seats.
In contrast, INLD's Abhay Singh Chautala faced defeat, and Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) candidate Dushyant Chautala was trailing. Other significant losses include BJP leaders Gian Chand Gupta, OP Dhankar, and Haryana Lokhit Party's Gopal Kanda.
One of the major highlights of the election is the victory of Congress' Vinesh Phogat, the Olympic wrestler-turned-politician, who won her maiden election in Julana by defeating BJP's Yogesh Kumar by 6,015 votes.
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) failed to secure any seats in the assembly. The counting of votes, which began at 8 AM under tight security, initially indicated a close contest. However, as the day progressed, BJP consolidated its lead, outpacing Congress.
This victory for the BJP comes despite Congress leader Sachin Pilot's earlier confidence of securing a landslide win, citing anti-incumbency and the party's grassroots work. While exit polls had predicted a Congress surge, the BJP's sustained momentum led to its remarkable victory.