Representative image showing the map of Haryana
Credit: iStock Photo
Ninety seats in the state of Haryana went to the polls in a single phase on October 5, the results of which were announced today.
The results came as a little bit of a surprise and exit polls were sent for a toss as BJP retained power for third consecutive term.
Congress, which was trying to wrest back power after almost a decade and was the the pre-poll favourite has to play second fiddle againn.
Haryana has a chequered history when it comes to switching loyalties and parties. Political pundits had once given it the sobriquet the 'state of aaya rams and gaya rams', due to the ever-swelling list of party hoppers.
Ahead of 2024 Assembly Elections, the trend continued in Haryana. The Nayab Singh Saini government went through some tough times when a few independent MLAs switched sides and withdrew support to the BJP camp. However, by engineering defections from Jannayak Janta Pary (JJP), the Saini government survived and the turncoats were duly rewarded with seats.
In the run-up to the elections, the BJP list included some of the big names like Shruti Choudhry, who was earlier in Congress, and three sitting JJP MLAs. The party had given them tickets to contest from their strongholds, with the aim of expanding the party’s electoral base in these constituencies.
Having been rewarded with poll tickets by their new parties, Haryana polls have turned out to be a mixed bag for the turncoats. While a win eluded some of them, there were the lucky ones too.
Among the lucky ones is Ram Kumar Gautam, who was a sitting MLA of JJP from Narnaund and he joined BJP weeks ahead of the assembly polls.
The BJP fielded Gautam (78), popularly known as "Dada Gautam", from Safidon and he won the seat defeating Congress' Subhash Gangoli.
From Shahabad, Congress' Ram Karan defeated BJP's Subhash Chand. Karan had switched over to the Congress from the JJP before the polls.
Another turncoat to taste victory is Shyam Singh Rana, who joined the BJP from the INLD. He won from Radaur defeating Congress' Bishan Lal Saini.
From Tosham, Shruti won, defeating her cousin brother Anirudh Chaudhary.
However, there were some for whom changing parties did not yield electoral success.
Brijendra Singh switched over to the Congress from the BJP. He lost to BJP's Devender Attri from Uchana Kalan by a narrow margin of 32 votes.
Among other turncoats who could not make it to the Vidhan Sabha this time include JJP leaders who had switched over to other parties.
Devender Singh Babli, who joined the BJP after leaving the JJP shortly before polls, was defeated by Congress' Paramvir Singh from Tohana.
Another leader who switched over from the JJP to the BJP was Anoop Dhanak. He was defeated by Congress' Naresh Selwal from Uklana.
Bucking anti-incumbency, the ruling BJP pulled off a hat-trick of wins in Haryana to retain power and halt the Congress' comeback attempt in the assembly elections.
(With PTI inputs)