CM, Hooda both claim victory, counting today

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 23

The counting of votes for the Haryana Assembly polls will be held tomorrow amid three-tier security with the BJP expressing confidence of retaining power and the Opposition Congress hoping of a comeback.

Joint Chief Electoral Officer Dr Inder Jeet today said a counting centre had been set up in each of the 90 Assembly constituencies whereas there was one additional centre for Badshahpur seat of Gurugram because of higher number of voters and EVMs. The counting centres have been set up at 59 locations at the district and sub-division levels. He said the counting of votes would begin at 8 am.

The Joint CEO said the outermost security ring at the counting centres would be manned by Haryana Police, the gate of the premises where the centres are situated will be guarded by Haryana Armed Police jawans while the main entry to the centres will be under the control of the central forces.

While most exit polls projected a comfortable victory for the BJP, giving it more than two-third seats, one predicted a close fight between the ruling party and the Congress with the Jannayak Janta Party and Independents likely to play kingmakers.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today expressed confidence that the BJP would achieve its target of winning 75-plus seats. 

“Haryana people have shown faith in the functioning of the BJP government and they stand with steps like abrogation of Article 370,” he said.

Former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who was on his way to Rohtak from Delhi, claimed the Congress would win sufficient number of seats to form government. On exit polls, Hooda reiterated he believed in “exact polls”, result of which would be out tomorrow.

JJP’s Dushyant Chautala said his party would be holding “key” (party symbol too) to forming the new government in Haryana.

In the polling held on Monday, 68.31 per cent voters had cast their votes, a sharp dip from a turnout of 76.54 per cent in 2014 Assembly polls and 70.36 per cent in Lok Sabha elections held in May.

In 2014, the BJP had come to power for the first time on its own by winning 47 of the 90 seats with the INLD winning 19 seats, Congress 15, Haryana Janhit Congress two, BSP and SAD one each and Independents five.

As many as 1,169 candidates, including 105 women, contested the polls this time. Among those whose fate is sealed in EVMs to be opened tomorrow are Khattar, Hooda, Dushyant, INLD’s Abhay Chautala, ministers Ram Bilas Sharma, Anil Vij, Capt Abhimanyu, OP Dhankar and Kavita Jain. The BJP also fielded sportspersons Babita Phogat, Yogeshwar Dutt and Sandeep Singh. 

The Aam Aadmi Party, Loktantra Suraksha Party and Swaraj India also contested, though none of them fielded candidates on all 90 seats. 

5,000 laddoos ordered

Mumbai: The M’rashtra unit of BJP has made ‘victory’ preparations at its 0ffice here, placing an order for 5,000 ‘laddoos’ and for putting up a huge screen for live coverage of counting. But in Haryana, no such plans. PTI