Page 10 - Haryana Election

Haryana CM Saini exudes confidence in BJP's return to power for third term

The people of Haryana have decided that the BJP will form government for the third time, CM said

Modi lists out Centre's pro-farmer steps in Sonipat; attacks Cong on quota

He said the Centre also hiked customs duties on the import of edible oils, to benefit farmers

From demolition to campaign, bulldozers become party tool to pull crowds

Once just an innocuous piece of construction equipment and today a symbol of state power and politics, bulldozers are visible everywhere as campaigning hots up in Nuh. Not as a demolition tool but festooned, prettied up and embraced by all parties. Young people sitting on dozer blades, dancing and showering petals on crowds gathered on the narrow streets below are a common sight. Bulldozers may have earned a bad name but clearly not in this Haryana constituency, counted among the most backward in the country, where they are being used to further the festive election mood. The scene was very different just over a year ago when five people were killed in communal violence in the Muslim dominated constituency. The violence later spread to adjoining Gurugram where a cleric was killed in an attack on a mosque. Following the violence, the BJP-led Haryana government went on a demolition drive in Nuh, drawing allegations of "ethnic cleansing". Then chief minister M L Khattar stoutly denied

Outgoing Haryana state Assembly met for 14.4 days a year on average

The 14th Kerala Assembly, one of the best performing in the country, sat for 232 days, or 46.4 days a year on average between May 2016 to May 2021

Assembly polls highlights: Modi only talks about his 'Mann ki Baat', not 'kaam ki baat,' says Rahul

J-K, Haryana Assembly polls updates: Catch all the latest news developments related to the Assembly polls here

I am a 'Congressperson', says Selja amid rumours of her joining BJP

"I am a Congressperson, I will remain a Congressperson", senior leader Kumari Selja asserted on Monday and dismissed talk of a possible switch to the BJP, accusing the ruling party of diverting attention from its own "failures" in Haryana. Amid reports that she was disgruntled over ticket distribution for the Haryana Assembly polls, Selja also dismissed talk of discord within the Congress ranks and said, "We will together form the government". Asked about the BJP's recent overtures to her to join its ranks amid reports that she was discontented over ticket distribution for the Haryana Assembly polls, the Congress general secretary said, "The BJP is probably more concerned. There are many things that go around within the party. "We had worked to ensure the party's victory earlier in Lok Sabha and later also...so that we strengthen the party on the ground, work for the people on the ground and taking that forward, we have to form a Congress government." Selja said she would start her

You can break anyone except Haryanawaley: Kejriwal says BJP tried alliance

AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Monday sharpened his attack on the BJP government at the Centre, alleging that they wanted to "break" him in jail and make him join the NDA. "They don't know that I am from Haryana. You can break anyone, but not Haryanawaley," said Kejriwal during a roadshow in Dabwali in Sirsa district ahead of the assembly polls in the state. The AAP chief said the BJP was scared of his honesty and alleged that the party put him in jail in a "fake" case to "sully" his image. "They wanted to break me and they repeatedly asked me to join the Bharatiya Janata Party, National Democratic Alliance...I did not break and after coming out of jail, I am before you today," Kejriwal said at the roadshow held in support of Kuldeep Singh, the party's candidate from the Dabwali assembly seat. The former Delhi chief minister claimed that the BJP used "various tactics" to "break him". "They stopped my medicines. I am a diabetic but they stopped my insulin. My kidney would

Congress anti-Dalit, 'insulted' Kumari Selja: Amit Shah at rally in Haryana

Union Minister Amit Shah on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Congress, calling it an "anti-Dalit" party and said it "insulted" Dalit leaders like Kumari Selja and Ashok Tanwar. Shah also lashed out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on reservation and asserted that if there is anybody who can protect the quota, it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Shah was addressing a poll rally at Tohana for the October 5 Haryana Assembly elections. "The Congress party is an anti-Dalit party," alleged Shah in his address. "The Congress always insulted Dalit leaders, be it Ashok Tanwar or sister Kumari Selja. The Congress insulted everyone," he further alleged.

Cong on course to win polls, set to repeat 2005 performance: Surjewala

Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala has said that the BJP is suffering from a complete "bankruptcy of leadership" in Haryana, and asserted that his party is set to repeat its 2005 performance when it bagged 67 of the 90 seats in the state. The Congress MP said even issues have become blurred in the polls this time and the people want to oust the BJP. "They (BJP) have not permitted any leader to be developed and this is a pan-India problem," the Congress general secretary, who is also a former Haryana minister, told PTI. "They are killing established leadership of the BJP. What they have done in Rajasthan, got reflected in the Lok Sabha results, that people don't accept novices," he said. Dwelling on his party's prospects in the state, Surjewala asserted that the "Congress is on course to sweep the elections...we are repeating or even bettering our 2005 performance". "We just need to hold the election here. Elections is now for the Congress to take," he said. The Congress is .

Amid infighting rumours, Surjewala says Selja to join Haryana Cong campaign

Sirsa MP Kumari Selja will campaign for the Congress and address a public meeting in Narwana this week, party general secretary Randeep Surjewala said on Monday after the BJP targeted the grand old party over alleged infighting amid reports that she was sulking. The 61-year-old Selja is a Congress general secretary and prominent Dalit face of the party. With Haryana going to polls on October 5, the ruling BJP has been targeting the Congress over the Dalit leader staying away from the poll campaign. Recently, Union Minister and senior BJP leader Manohar Lal Khattar had invited Selja to join the saffron party, amid reports that she was staying away from the campaign for the assembly polls. Khattar, the former Haryana chief minister, had also pointed towards the alleged infighting in the state unit of Congress ahead of the assembly polls. In a post on X, Surjewala said Selja will address a public meeting in Narwana on September 26 and will campaign for the Congress. "Today, I will .

Mayawati urges Dalit leaders to break ties with Cong ahead of Haryana polls

Ahead of the assembly elections in Haryana, BSP supremo Mayawati on Monday urged Dalit leaders to sever ties with the Congress and other "casteist parties" and follow the path laid down by Dr BR Ambedkar. The comments come amid attempts by the alliance of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) to position itself as a pro-Dalit alternative in Haryana. In a series of posts on X, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister accused the Congress and other "casteist parties" of using Dalit leaders only in times of trouble and later marginalising them. She said in Hindi, "The political developments in the country so far have proven that the Congress and other casteist parties only remember Dalits during their bad days and appoint them as chief ministers or to other key organisational positions temporarily." "But in their good days, these parties mostly sideline Dalits and replace them with casteist individuals, as is currently being witnessed in Haryana," she ...

Only 87 women elected to Haryana Assembly since 1966, no woman CM yet

It is still a man's world in the Haryana Assembly polls, with only 51 women candidates -- most of them either having the backing of a political family or celebrity status -- being fielded by frontline political parties. Since it was carved out from Punjab in 1966, the state, known for its skewed gender ratio, has sent only 87 women to the assembly. Haryana has never had a woman chief minister. An analysis of candidates' lists shows that the main opposition Congress has fielded 12 women candidates, the highest among the parties in these elections. The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), contesting the elections in an alliance, have fielded 11 women candidates combined while the ruling BJP has named 10 women nominees. The alliance of the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) and the Azad Samaj Party (ASP) has named eight women candidates in the 85 seats it is contesting while AAP's list of 90 hopefuls has 10 women. According to Haryana Vidhan Sabha records, in the

BJP govt to be out; criminals, drug smugglers should exit Haryana: Hooda

Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda Sunday claimed the BJP government in Haryana is on its way out and criminals and drug smugglers should leave the state before the Assembly poll results are declared or they have to face the heat. Campaigning for Congress candidates in the four assembly seats of Sirsa district, he expressed concern over the drug menace and said, "Today, more deaths are taking place in Haryana due to drugs than in Punjab." The Congress government will end this scourge, the former Haryana chief minister said and also hit out at the BJP government over alleged deteriorating law-and-order situation. Claiming the BJP was on its way out, Hooda said criminals and drug smugglers should leave the state before October 8, the day of election results. The senior Congress leader claimed that the "hidden" alliance of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), Haryana Lokhit Party (HLP) and Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) with the BJP has now become public. "Fearing defeat, the BJP has .

Cong's 'falsehood' will not work; BJP will win by heavy margin: Haryana CM

People know the fate of tall promises made by the Congress in Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana, but their "falsehood" won't work in Haryana, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said. Asserting that the BJP is set to return to power in Haryana with a full majority after the October 5 Assembly polls, he said the party will accelerate the ongoing development works. "As you can see, there is tremendous enthusiasm among people. The BJP will form government for the third time and with full majority," Saini told PTI after addressing a poll rally in Siwan in Kaithal district. The chief minister on Saturday addressed the rally in favour of BJP candidate from Guhla segment, Kulwant Bazigar. The 54-year-old Saini, who is contesting from Ladwa, attacked the Congress, saying everyone knows about the tall promises they made to the people of Himachal, Karnataka and Telangana before polls. "Misleading people by telling lies to grab power is nothing new for them", he said. "Just take the ex

Assembly poll results will help realign political forces: Ex-law minister

Former Union law minister Ashwani Kumar on Saturday stressed the importance of the upcoming assembly polls, saying the results of these elections would pave the way for a realignment of political forces. He said that with the 'one nation, one election' factor now looming large on the horizon, the BJP would try to enlist the requisite support in Parliament for seeing through several constitutional amendments necessary in this regard. "For a variety of important political developments after the general elections, the upcoming state assembly elections have acquired a special significance," the former Congress leader said in a statement. The results of the upcoming assembly elections, although driven by the political dynamics of each state, will reflect the general political mood of the nation, he said. Elections in Haryana and Maharashtra, where the ruling dispensation is facing a tough challenge from the Congress-led INDIA bloc, are considered to be a barometer for the BJP's current

Haryana polls: From kingmaker to king, Dushyant Chautala eyes bigger goal

JJP leader Dushyant Chautala, whose party is contesting the October 5 Haryana assembly polls jointly with Azad Samaj Party, predicts a hung assembly but exudes confidence that their alliance will win enough seats to emerge as a key player after the results. The JJP had won 10 of the 90 assembly seats in the 2019 Haryana assembly polls, the BJP 40 and the Congress 31. Chautala, 36, the great grandson of former deputy prime minister Devi Lal, predicts that no single party will be able to cross the 40-seat mark in the assembly elections. No single party can form government on its own. There are chances that nobody crosses the 40-seat mark. So, there will be parties with numbers and some Independents too who will win, former deputy chief minister Chautala told PTI. "Our alliance will win enough number of seats and emerge as a strong player in the scenario," he said. Asked whether they will support any other outfit in case of a hung assembly, Chautala quipped, "Why to go behind somebod

PM Modi to interact with party workers on Sept 26 ahead of Haryana polls

PM Modi also shared a link on X and called for questions and suggestions from the supporters ahead of the interactive session

Kejriwal joins AAP's Haryana poll campaign, says state wants change

AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Friday claimed that the next government in Haryana cannot be formed without the support of his party. Targeting the BJP, he claimed that the entire state wants "badlaav" (change). Joining the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP's) campaign in Haryana, the former Delhi chief minister said people will oust the BJP in the October 5 state assembly polls. Accompanied by AAP's Haryana unit chief Sushil Gupta, Kejriwal held a road show in the Jagadhri constituency in Yamunanagar district in favour of his party candidate Adarsh Pal. AAP is contesting the Haryana polls on its own after its talks with the Congress over a seat-share agreement broke down. Addressing the crowds during the road show in the afternoon, Kejriwal said entire Haryana wants "badlaav" this time. "AAP is getting so many seats... I calculated after reaching here... we are getting so many seats that the next government in Haryana cannot be formed without AAP's support. In entire Haryana, the f

Haryana elections: BJP's manifesto a 'copy-paste of Congress', says Hooda

Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that the election manifesto released by the BJP is merely a 'copy & paste' of their previous promises

Vinesh was manipulated by Deepender, Bhupinder for gains: Mahavir Phogat

Mahavir Phogat also expressed concern over Vinesh's foray into politics, suggesting that it was not her intention to enter the political arena