The Congress party is expected to make a strong comeback in Haryana after being in the opposition for 10 years. While the BJP seems to be holding onto its vote share, the Congress is likely to gain on JJP’s decline.
Exit polls for Haryana’s 2024 Assembly elections indicated a dominant showing for Congress, with predictions ranging from 44 to 64 seats, while the BJP is expected to secure 15-32 seats.
Exit polls suggest the Congress-National Conference (NC) alliance holds an advantage in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections too.
Results for both Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana will be announced on October 8.
In Haryana, the race for control of the 90-member Assembly has been fiercely contested. The state has seen intense campaigning, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) aiming for a third consecutive term. After coming to power in 2014 and 2019, the BJP is eyeing a “hat-trick” of victories. Chief minister Nayab Singh Saini, who replaced Manohar Lal Khattar earlier this year, has been at the forefront of the BJP’s campaign. His political fate, along with that of many other prominent leaders, will be sealed in these elections.
The main challenger in the Haryana assembly elections is the Congress. Bhupinder Singh Hooda is hoping to stage a comeback after a decade out of power, even as Congress has avoided declaring a CM face. Hooda, a seasoned politician and former chief minister, is contesting from Garhi Sampla-Kiloi and is banking on anti-incumbency sentiment to propel his party back to power. Wrestling star-turned-politician Vinesh Phogat is another high-profile candidate, representing the Congress in Julana. The Congress has made strategic alliances, leaving the Bhiwani seat to its INDIA bloc partner, the CPI(M), in a bid to strengthen its chances.
The primary contest is expected to be between the BJP and Congress, with regional forces like Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) hoping to gain enough seats to hold the balance of power in the event of a hung assembly.
Haryana exit poll 2024 results provide an early indication of whether the BJP’s momentum holds or if the Congress can turn the tide in its favour after 10 years in opposition.
In Jammu and Kashmir, the exit poll results give an early insight into whether the newly empowered communities have altered the traditional voting patterns or if the existing power structures will remain in place.
Most of the pollsters, including Dhruv Research, People’s Pulse, and Republic-Matrize, have projected a comfortable victory for the Congress party in Haryana. A closer fight is expected in Jammu and Kashmir, where the assembly elections were held for the first time after it was stripped of its special status in 2019. India Today CVoter has projected 40-48 seats for the Congress-NC alliance in Jammu and Kashmir while the BJP is expected to win 27-32 seats.
While exit polls are not always an accurate predictor of final results, they serve as a useful barometer of public sentiment immediately following the election.
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