Haryana polls: Will score hat-trick, says BJP; people will oust them, claims Congress

Chandigarh, Aug 16 (PTI) Shortly after the Election Commission on Friday put out the poll date for Haryana, political parties welcomed the announcement, with the ruling BJP saying it will score a hat-trick while rivals like the Congress claiming that people will oust them from power.

The Election Commission on Friday announced that assembly polls in Haryana will be held in a single phase on October 1 and the results will be declared on October 4.

Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini told reporters that the BJP will return to power in Haryana with a bigger mandate and development will be further accelerated.

Meanwhile, in a post on X in Hindi, Saini said, "The people of Haryana are ready for the great festival of democracy in October 2024. On October 1, the people will once again go to the polling booth and press the lotus (BJP's election symbol) button and form the BJP government for the third time. October 4: BJP government for the third time in Haryana," he posted.

Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda told reporters here that his party is ready for the polls.

"People were waiting for the poll date to be announced. We will form government with an overwhelming majority and the BJP will be ousted from power," the former chief minister said.

Replying to a question, Hooda said the party will decide the tickets on merit to winnable candidates. He dismissed talks of factionalism in the party's Haryana unit, asserting that there could be difference of opinion, but no dissension.

Asked if the Congress should declare a chief ministerial face this time, the Leader of Opposition in the Haryana Assembly reiterated that the party has a laid down process which is followed in such matters.

BJP leader and former minister Anil Vij, while reacting to the announcement of poll date, said, "We welcome the poll announcement by the Election Commission. Our workers are always in the field and we are ready for the polls." BJP senior leader from Haryana, O P Dhankar, said the poll bugle has been sounded. "We are ready for elections. Workers were eagerly waiting. We will go to the people and seek votes on the basis of works which the double-engine government has done during the past 10 years," Dhankar said.

He said people of Haryana will give their blessings for the third time and the party will score a hat-trick.

BJP has been in power in the state since 2014.

Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said the time for BJP government's exit has come.

Congress' national secretary Vineet Punia said time for "farewell" of the BJP government has come.

"During the past 10 years, the BJP government took many anti-people decisions due to which every section of society is unhappy with them," he said.

State Congress chief Udai Bhan said his party has come out with a poll slogan for Haryana -- "Haath (party poll symbol) badlega halaat aur Congress say he aas".

With the Congress attacking the BJP on various fronts under its 'Haryana Maange Hisab' campaign, Bhan said the party has covered 32 of the 90 assembly segments under the campaign and is getting overwhelming public response.

Hooda, while referring to the date of the poll results, said, "On October 4, BJP Haryana say Bahar (BJP will be ousted from power when results are out). On the basis of overwhelming public support, I can say that the Congress will storm to power in the state." Hitting out at BJP, he said this government was limited to portals which caused inconvenience to the common public. They failed to carry out any development work. Every section -- farmers, employees, labourers, urbanite or ruralite -- is fed up with this government, Hooda alleged.

Asked if the Congress will enter into alliance with any party for the assembly polls, he said, "We have alliance at the national level with many parties (INDIA bloc), but there is nothing at the state level." On the ruling BJP announcing sops for various sections days before poll dates were announced, Hooda said, "People are wise. They know they are mere announcements being made by a government which is on its way out." Asked about the government making several announcements for farmers, state Congress chief Udai Bhan quipped, "The government which put barricades to prevent farmers from going to the national capital to demand legal guarantee to MSP is now saying they are pro-farmer." Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) leader Divgijay Chautala claimed people will give their blessings to the party in the polls.

The JJP is always committed to protecting the interests of farmers and weaker sections, he said, adding that the election will be fought on regional issues.

Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader Abhay Singh Chautala, whose party will be contesting the Haryana polls in alliance with Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), said, "We welcome the Haryana election date announcement. Time has come to show the door to those who have looted the state." The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Haryana unit chief Sushil Gupta said his party had prepared to fight on all 90 seats.

"We held 45 public meetings in the last fortnight. People want 'badlaav' (change) this time and the AAP will provide a viable alternative," Gupta said.

The term of the Haryana Assembly ends on November 3. The Election Commission had recently visited Haryana to oversee the poll preparedness. PTI SUN VSD KSS KSS