Counting of votes for Haryana Assembly polls begins

Counting of votes polled in Haryana Assembly elections has begun.

The fate of a total of 1,169 candidates is sealed in the electronic voting machines (EVMs). The state went to Assembly polls on October 21 amid tight security. According to the office of Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), 1,064 male and 105 female candidates are in the fray.

Ninety candidates are from the BJP, 87 from the BSP, four from the CPI, seven from the CPI-M, 90 from the Congress, one from the NCP, 81 from the Indian National Lok Dal, 375 Independent and 434 other candidates.

The battle for 90 seats in Haryana is also crucial for regional players such as the Indian National Lok Dal and the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP).

Around 2,987 polling booths were marked as vulnerable, whereas 151 critical polling stations were identified -- the live footage of which was monitored in the control room set up at the headquarters in Chandigarh.

Most exit polls have already predicted a clean sweep for BJP in Haryana.

A victory will also keep the political momentum with the BJP after its emphatic victory in the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The polls are crucial for Congress which has faced desertions after its second successive debacle in the Lok Sabha polls. A strong performance will help the party in its process of electoral revival.

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