Haryana surprised everyone as election forecasts were proven wrong once again. The exit polls predicted a Congress comeback and BJP's decline, but neither transpired. The BJP secured 48 out of 90 assembly seats. This marks the BJP's strongest performance in Haryana to date. The party won 47 seats in 2014 and 40 in 2019.
What factors contributed to this BJP victory in Haryana? Several elements played a role, but it is widely believed that Congress MP Kumari Selja became an ace for BJP.
How did that happen?
Kumari Selja hails from the Dalit community and was keen on contesting the assembly elections. However, Congress did not allow her to run. During the ticket allocation, preference was given to Bhupinder Hooda over Selja.
Reportedly, more than 70 out of 90 candidates were Hooda's choices. Moreover, Selja had requested tickets for 30 to 35 of her supporters.
Amidst this, a derogatory remark made by a Congress worker from the Hooda camp surfaced against Selja. Although Hooda later referred to Selja as his elder sister, BJP linked this incident to Dalit humiliation. Former CM and Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar even extended an invitation to Selja to join BJP.
Although Selja's influence within the Dalit community is not as pronounced as Hooda's among Jats, she remains a significant Dalit figure for Congress in Haryana.
Selja was disgruntled due to the denial of an assembly ticket, and the Dalit community sensed her discontent. Consequently, Dalits distanced themselves from Congress this time around.
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How Did BJP Benefit?
The discontent of Dalits with Congress significantly benefited BJP in this election. Out of 17 reserved seats for Scheduled Castes (SC), BJP secured 8. In 2019, they had only won 5 seats.
This time, BJP emerged victorious in Bawal, Bawani Khera, Hodal, Pataudi, Israna, Kharkhoda, Narwana, and Nilokheri constituencies. In 2019, BJP had won only Bawal, Bawani Khera, Hodal, Pataudi, and Ratia seats.
Source: aajtak
How Did Congress Miss the Opportunity?
Congress relied heavily on former CM Bhupinder Hooda. They hoped Hooda would amass Jat votes, and mentioned caste-based census to woo OBC votes. Yet, Congress achieved little from either.
Hooda is a prominent figure among Jats in Haryana, a group accounting for about 27% of the population and influence over at least 35 seats. However, this time, even the Jats leaned towards BJP, giving them most of the Jat belt seats.
Alongside Jats, Dalits, too, voted for BJP. The dismay over Selja's situation pushed Dalit voters away from Congress and towards BJP.
