Congress heading towards 'simple majority' in Haryana

The ruling Congress is heading for a simple majority in the 90 member Haryana Assembly, winning 11 of the 23 seats which were declared and leading in 29 others. The numbers are much less than 67 seats the party won in 2005, making the party come back to power with over two thirds majority drubbing the INLD.

INLD, which had yielded power to the Congress five years back, was set to improve its 2005 performance of 9, having won 7 seats even as the Om Parkash Chautala-led party was leading in 22 others.

Parkash Singh Badal-led Siromani Akali Dal (SAD) will be making its maiden entry in the Haryana assembly, with its candidate Charanjit Singh winning from Kalanwali, defeating his nearest rival Sushil Kumar Indora, who contested as the ruling Congress' nominee after deserting Chautala's INLD shortly before the elections.

BJP nominee Anil Vij, who was an Independent nominee five years back, was elected from Ambala Cantt, defeating his nearest rival former Agriculture Minister Nirmal Singh by a margin of 6,338 votes.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had addressed his only election meeting at Ambala Cantt in support of Nirmal Singh and other party nominees in the district.

The saffron party nominees were leading in three other constituencies even though the party after breaking its alliance with Om Parkash Chautala led INLD had contested all the 90 seats.

Independents had won 3 seats and were leading in 5 others, while HJC-BL and BSP nominees were leading in five and three constituencies respectively.

Haryana Congress President Phool Chand Mullana lost to Rajbir Barara (INLD) from Mullana by a margin of 2,938 votes.

In Kaithal district the party could retain only Kaithal out of the four constituencies. The sitting MLAs of the party lost from Guhla, Pundri and Kalayat.