Rural distress, massive job loss in the State’s industrial belts and unemployment turned the wind against the BJP in Haryana. The Opposition could effectively use the distrust against the party among Jats and Dalits over reservation and demolition of Ravidas temple in Delhi.

Hung Assembly

Though short of majority, the party may still form the Government with the help of seven independents who have won and party managers are in touch with the Jannayak Janta party (JJP), too, seeking support.

The BJP leadership has given indications that it will form the Government in the State as it is the single largest party. “I thank the people of Haryana for blessing us. We will continue to work with the same zeal and dedication for the State’s progress. I laud the efforts of hardworking @BJP4Haryana Karyakartas who toiled extensively and went among the people to elaborate on our development agenda,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Twitter.

BJP president Amit Shah added that the Manohar Lal Khattar-government led the State to the path of progress. The Union Home Minister thanked people for making BJP the single largest party in the Assembly.

JJP holds the key

The BJP is likely to end with 40 seats, six seats short of a simple majority. Former INLD leader and Minister Gopal Goyal Kanda’s Haryana Lokhit Party has won one seat and seven independents have won.

The Congress is likely to end up with 31 seats, while the INLD won one seat and its splinter group led by former MP Dushyant Chautala won 10 seats.

The Congress, too, has started efforts to form the government with non-BJP parties. Party’s leader and former Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda has appealed to all non-BJP parties to come together to form an alternative government.

“At the time of Lok Sabha elections in Haryana, BJP had 58.2 per cent of the vote and was leading in 79 seats, today BJP has lost majority. We disagree with Amit Shah that BJP has won, the BJP has lost, Khattar has lost the moral right to continue,” senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said.

Chautala said he will hold a meeting with his party’s MLAs on Friday to decide the future course of action. “It is too early to say with which party we will go forward. I believe the State wants a change and JJP will bring it,” he said.

Earlier he had given indications that he will support whichever party will be ready to make him Chief Minister. JJP’s main campaign was against the BJP and the Congress believes that its base being formed predominantly by Jats, it will be difficult for the JJP to support BJP.

Stars fade away

While Khattar won his Karnal seat with a margin of over 45,000 votes, three BJP ministers — Abhimanyu, Kavita Jain and Krishan Kumar Bedi — lost along with State BJP president Subhash Barala. Tik Tok star Sonali Phogat, fielded by the BJP, lost to veteran Congressman Kuldeep Bishnoi in Adampur, while wrestler Babita Phogat representing BJP, also, lost from Dadri seat.

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