Haryana is in the midst of assembly elections, and a statement by Himachal Pradesh MP Kangana Ranaut has put the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in an uncomfortable position. In an interview, Kangana said, "In Punjab, violent elements under the guise of the farmers' protest were committing rapes and murders. The farm laws were repealed, otherwise, the miscreants had long-term plans. They could have done anything in the country. If our top leadership wasn’t strong, Punjab would have been turned into Bangladesh."
While Kangana mentioned the conditions in Punjab, her statement could also escalate issues for the BJP in Haryana, a state grappling with 10 years of anti-incumbency, farmer and wrestler protests, and resentment over benefits distributed through government portals. In such a scenario, Kangana's statement has become an embarrassment for BJP in Haryana.
Punjab BJP leader Harjit Singh Grewal described it as Kangana's personal opinion, stating that PM Modi and BJP are farmer-friendly. He added that Kangana should refrain from such statements. Meanwhile, Haryana BJP leaders maintained silence on her remarks, with rumors that they've complained to the high command. Congress, on the other hand, launched an aggressive attack using her statement. Congress General Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Surjewala took to X, slamming BJP.
Surjewala wrote on X, "Why does BJP hate the nation's food providers? BJP has always deceived, conspired against, and oppressed our farmers. Once again, a BJP MP has made baseless allegations against our farmers. Was Kangana’s statement a part of BJP’s electoral strategy? Were they her words, or was it scripted by someone else? If not, why are the Prime Minister, Haryana’s Chief Minister, and all BJP MPs and MLAs silent on this matter?"
Senior Haryana journalist Pradeep Dabas explained that overcoming 10 years of anti-incumbency and forming a third government is a formidable challenge for any party. Amidst these challenges, Haryana's government is offering over 100 schemes through portals, which have aggrieved the general public. The dissatisfaction among Jat farmers is also notable. In this context, any leader’s comment on the farmers' movement could hurt their sentiments, especially someone like Kangana Ranaut, who is an MP. Such statements, especially during elections, are likely to harm the party more than they help.
The agricultural laws triggered significant protests, particularly in Punjab and Haryana. Former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and his ministers faced backlash and were even barred from entering several villages. This discontent was evident in the recent Lok Sabha elections, where BJP, which had swept all 10 seats in 2014 and 2019, secured only five seats due to farmers' resentment.
BJP had previously penetrated Congress' core Jat vote bank, but this trend changed in the recent elections, with Jats showing displeasure. BJP’s focus has now shifted to non-Jat politics, with OBC heading the state government, and three central ministers also being non-Jat. The female wrestlers’ sexual harassment cases against BJP leader Brij Bhushan have fueled Jat voters' anger. According to C-Voter, BJP received 32.9% of Jat votes in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and 24% in the assembly elections, rising to 42.4% and 33.7% respectively in 2019.
Haryana's youths have a strong inclination towards joining the army, which shares an emotional bond with Haryana. BJP has emphasized One Rank One Pension as a major achievement, but Agniveer, the army recruitment scheme, is emerging as a contentious issue in Haryana elections. Protests against the scheme have occurred, and Congress has been vocally opposed, even promising to scrap the scheme if elected.
BJP has held power in Haryana since 2014, switching Chief Ministers from Manohar Lal Khattar to Nayab Saini ahead of Lok Sabha elections. This change is seen as a strategy to combat anti-incumbency after 10 years. The India Today and C-Voter Mood of the Nation survey indicated mixed sentiments about the government and its MLAs' performance, with 40% expressing dissatisfaction.
