Congress accuses Haryana Govt of misusing BPL cards for votes

A political storm has erupted in the state after startling figures on below poverty line (BPL) cards were tabled in the Assembly during the monsoon session on Tuesday. The Congress has accused the BJP government of misusing BPL cards to influence voters ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

The issue came to light when the Congress MLA from Kalanwali, Shishpal Keharwala, sought details of the cards from the government. In his reply, CM Nayab Singh Saini informed the House that between January 1, 2024, and July 31, 2025, as many as 8,73,507 families were added to the BPL category while 9,68,506 families were removed.

The data further revealed that as on March 31, 2025, there were 52.37 lakh families under the BPL category. However, by August 22, 2025, the number had come down sharply to 41.93 lakh families.

The government said families with an annual income of more than Rs 1.80 lakh were excluded from the benefits in line with official guidelines.

Rohtak Congress MP Deepender Hooda alleged that the state witnessed a massive “BPL for Vote” scam. “Just before the 2024 elections, the BJP issued nearly 10 lakh new cards to lure voters, which pushed almost 75% of the state’s population under the poverty line on paper. After the elections, these cards were cancelled at the same speed,” he claimed.

He pointed out that these 10 lakh families accounted for nearly 25% of the state’s electorate. “In the last election, the BJP edged past the Congress by a margin of only 22,000 votes, or 0.5% vote share. The manipulation of BPL cards raises questions over the fairness of the mandate,” he said.