Election results – Artifex.News

AIADMK under pressure to revisit its stand against ties with TVK

admin — Wed, 06 May 2026 09:20:00 +0000

Edappadi K. Palaniswami; C. Joseph Vijay
| Photo Credit: E. Lakshmi Narayanan; B.. Velankanni Raj

The AIADMK, which stated openly on Monday (May 4, 2026) that it would not support the regime likely to be formed by the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), appears to be under pressure – both internally and externally – to revisit its stand.

The tone for the reconsideration of the stance was set on Tuesday (April 5, 2026) by Leema Rose, the newly elected legislator from Lalgudi, who told the media that negotiations were in progress between AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami and the TVK over the formation of the government. When The Hindu attempted contacting her on Wednesday (May 6), she remained incommunicado. On Tuesday, there were also varying reports regarding the meeting between TVK general secretary ‘Bussy’ N. Anand and Mr. Palaniswami. The meeting, the details of which were not made public yet, did, in fact, take place on Wednesday.

Since Wednesday morning, sections of the AIADMK began spreading the word that a large chunk of MLA-elects was rallying behind former Law Minister, C.Ve. Shanmugam, who was elected to the House from Mailam, for the purpose of sharing power in the government. Mr. Shanmugam, who was not accessible to this journalist despite repeated efforts, however, later told reporters that it was for the party to take a call.

Some of the new legislators, including L. Jayasudha and former Ministers K.P. Anbalagan and N. Thalaivai Sundaram, to whom this correspondent spoke, stated that when they all met the AIADMK general secretary on Tuesday to exchange plesantaries, there was neither discussion on the party’s stand vis-a-vis the likely TVK regime nor any signature campaign favouring the organisation’s support for the new government.

Mr. Shanmugam’s political stock seems to have gone up in the wake of the party’s abysmal performance in the western belt and moderate showing in the old North Arcot-South Arcot (NASA) region, covering the present districts of Vellore, Tirupattur, Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore, and Villupuram. The party, which secured 47 seats all over the State, won 16 in the region. Mr Shamugam and his colleague, S.P. Velumani, held talks at the former’s residence before meeting Mr. Palaniswami. There are reports in sections of the media that the BJP is keen on the AIADMK supporting the TVK government to prevent any room for the Congress’ support.

However, some functionaries of the AIADMK feel that, as their party and the TVK are on the same page with regard to opposing the DMK, they should come together. Besides, as the Leader of Opposition (LOP) post has gone to the DMK, there is no point in trying to find relevance for the party to remain in the opposition. It would be beneficial for the AIADMK to be “a part of the change” in the government. Such a move will be in sync with the “thinking” of 2.38 crore electors, who are less than 40 years of age and constitute the major chunk of changemakers, some office-bearers explain.

There is also a view in the party that by becoming an ally of the TVK regime, the entire Opposition space will have to be ceded to the DMK as, after all, the TVK has grown, to some extent, at the expense of the AIADMK. A senior leader of the party in the western region says that the TVK’s senior leader and former School Education Minister K.A, Sengottaiyan is in contact with some of the MLAs of the AIADMK, triggering the talk that the Dravidian major is heading towards a split.

Only when Mr. Palaniswami personally makes clear his party’s position, will there be clarity.

Published – May 06, 2026 02:50 pm IST

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TVK’s Ramkumar wins Anna Nagar constituency

admin — Mon, 04 May 2026 12:25:00 +0000

TVK’s Anna Nagar candidate V.K. Ramkumar receiving the winning certificate from the Returning Officer at Loyola College
| Photo Credit: R. Ragu

The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam’s (TVK) V.K. Ramkumar has won the Anna Nagar constituency by a margin of around 22,000 votes. He defeated the DMK’s N. Chitrarasu and the AIADMK’s Gokula Indira.

Speaking to The Hindu, he said his immediate priority would be to improve basic civic amenities in the constituency. On meeting party leader C. Joseph Vijay later in the day, he said instructions from the party high command were expected soon.

Published – May 04, 2026 05:55 pm IST

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Tamil Nadu CM Stalin trails in Kolathur as TVK leads in Chennai region

admin — Mon, 04 May 2026 08:13:00 +0000

TVK supporters celebrate the party’s lead in many constituencies on Monday
| Photo Credit: B. Velankanni Raj

Chennai, which has remained a DMK bastion for long, has nearly voted the party out, if one were to go by the trends available as of 1 p.m. on Monday (May 4, 2026).

In the 2026 Assembly elections, for which counting began on Monday morning, the TVK had been ahead since the first round in most constituencies.

Published – May 04, 2026 01:43 pm IST

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Elon Musk Praises India’s Vote Counting Process, Takes Jibe At US Elections

admin — Sun, 24 Nov 2024 03:59:07 +0000

New Delhi:

Elon Musk on Sunday praised the efficiency of India’s vote-counting process and slammed the prolonged delays in parts of the United States, particularly California. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Mr Musk applauded India’s ability to count 640 million votes in just one day after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, contrasting it with the sluggish vote tallying in California for the US presidential elections, which remains unfinished nearly 20 days after voting began on November 5.

Responding to a post that carried a screenshot of a media report titled ‘How India counted 640 million votes in a day’, the Tesla and SpaceX chief wrote, “India counted 640 million votes in 1 day. California is still counting votes”

India counted 640 million votes in 1 day.

California is still counting votes https://t.co/ai8JmWxas6

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 24, 2024

India conducted its Lok Sabha elections earlier this year, involving over 900 million eligible voters. Of these, a record-breaking 642 million people cast their votes. Despite the sheer scale, results were declared within a single day of counting.

How India Counted The Votes

Through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs): Used since 2000, these devices ensure rapid and accurate counting.

Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT): Introduced to enhance transparency, the VVPAT system produces a paper slip for every vote cast, allowing for verification if needed.

Additionally, India’s 543 parliamentary constituencies conduct counting simultaneously, overseen by the Election Commission of India (ECI). According to Supreme Court guidelines, postal ballots are processed and counted before EVM votes are unsealed. Under the supervision of Returning Officers, votes are tallied in centralised locations, and results are declared after each round.
Even during state elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand last week, India managed to count nearly 90 million votes in just a few hours. Maharashtra alone, with a population four times that of California, delivered results with remarkable efficiency.

Why The Delay In California

Vote counting in the United States – particularly in states like California – often stretches over weeks. California, the most populous US state, reported delays in its November 5 presidential election, with more than 300,000 ballots still uncounted weeks later. This has drawn criticism not only from Mr Musk but also from voters and analysts who question the system’s efficiency.

California conducts most of its elections by mail. Processing these ballots involves multiple steps like Signature verification on ballot envelopes, opening and sorting ballots before they can be tallied, etc.
Unlike India’s centralised oversight by the ECI, the US relies on state and local election offices, each with its own laws and resources.

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Few Takers For NOTA As Maharashtra, Jharkhand Elections Results Come In

admin — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 12:09:20 +0000

Election Results 2024: The voter turnout, however, was robust in both states.

New Delhi:

The “None of the Above” (NOTA) option had minimal impact in the Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly elections. According to Election Commission (EC) data, only 0.75 per cent of voters in Maharashtra and 1.32 per cent in Jharkhand chose NOTA over the listed candidates.

The voter turnout, however, was robust in both states. Maharashtra recorded a 65.02 per cent turnout in its single-phase election on November 20, while Jharkhand’s turnout reached 66.65 per cent and 68.45 per cent across its two phases on November 13 and 20, respectively.

Introduced in 2013 following a Supreme Court directive, NOTA offers voters an option to reject all candidates while maintaining ballot secrecy, an improvement over the earlier Form 49-O system. Despite its availability, the feature has remained a fringe choice, with less than 2 per cent of voters consistently opting for it in recent elections.

In Maharashtra, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is set to retain power, delivering a blow to the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition. The opposition MVA, comprising Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction), and Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction), trailed far behind.

Prominent BJP leaders, including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Ajit Pawar, were leading in their respective constituencies. Senior Congress figures such as Nana Patole, Prithviraj Chavan, and Balasaheb Thorat were trailing.

In Jharkhand, Hemant Soren’s JMM-led alliance appeared poised to retain power, leading in 56 of the 81 assembly seats as per the latest EC data. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) performed below expectations, leading in just 23 constituencies.

The JMM’s campaign, which focused on tribal identity and invoked public sympathy following Mr Soren’s legal troubles, resonated with voters, particularly in regions like Santhal Parganas. The BJP’s focus on issues such as “infiltrators” seemed to falter in comparison.

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Maharashtra Election Results Trending In United Kingdom As BJP Crosses Majority Mark

admin — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 04:39:57 +0000

The BJP government has crossed the majority.

Maharashtra election results: Maharashtra assembly election results were trending early on Saturday (Nov 23) in the United Kingdom as Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti crossed the halfway mark, as per the latest trends. England accounted for the majority of the search volume with Scotland not faring much behind. Maharashtra, regarded as the financial capital of India, is the wealthiest state in terms of GDP per capita. Its GSDP for 2022-2023 was approximately Rs 2.89 lakh crore, which signifies that the poll results could have a significant impact on the state populace as well as the expatriate population in the UK.

The MVA, a coalition of the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), had projected itself as a unified opposition to the Mahayuti government but the mirage appears to have not worked. As of the last update, the Mahayuti (209), with Eknath Shinde, projected to continue as the chief minister, had comfortably crossed the majority mark (145) in the 288-seat assembly.

Also Read | Maharashtra Election Results 2024: NDA 200 And Counting, Set To Thump MVA, Record Landslide Win In Maharashtra

The writing was on the wall as despite claims of anti-incumbency, the voters came out in hordes to cast their ballot for the ruling party. As per Election Commission of India (ECI) data, 66.05 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the single-phase election, up from 61.1 per cent recorded in 2019.

In the opposition’s MVA combine, the Congress fielded 101 candidates, Shiv Sena (UBT) 95, and NCP (SP) put up 86 candidates. Parties like Bahujan Samaj Party and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM), also contested, with BSP fielding 237 candidates and AIMIM putting up 17 candidates.

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NDA Edges Over 85 Seats In Maharashtra, 31 In Jharkhand

admin — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 00:40:27 +0000

Elections Results 2024 Live: The counting of votes is being held today.

Maharashtra, Jharkhand Election Results 2024 Live Updates: All eyes are on the counting of votes and results of the high-stakes Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly elections, which began at 8 am today. In both the states, the BJP-led NDA and the Opposition INDIA bloc parties have locked horns in a fierce battle.

In the 288-seat Maharashtra assembly election, the key contest is between the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti alliance – BJP, Shiv Sena and the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction), and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) – Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction). Most of the exit polls have predicted a win for the Mahayuti alliance – which is aiming to retain power – by a huge margin, against the MVA.

This is the first assembly election since the Shiv Sena and NCP split into rival factions led by Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar.

In the 81-seat Jharkhand assembly election, the ruling JMM-led INDIA bloc is seeking a comeback, while the BJP-led NDA alliance aims to wrest it from the ruling alliance. While some of the exit polls have predicted an edge to the NDA alliance in Jharkhand, some have also predicted a hung assembly.

Apart from these, results of the bypolls in 15 assembly seats spread across Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Kerala, and Uttarakhand will also be declared today.

Here are the live updates on the assembly election results 2024:

Election Results 2024 LIVE Updates: NDA leads in 79 seats, Maha Vikas Aghadi in 32 seats
In Maharashtra, the NDA is leading in 79 seats, while the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi is leading in 32 seats.

#WATCH | Counting of votes gets underway in Baramati for Maharashtra Assembly elections pic.twitter.com/963nYpZnGg

– ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2024

Election Results 2024 LIVE: Zeeshan Siddique leads from Bandra East
NCP candidate Zeeshan Siddique is leading from the Bandra East assembly constituency. He is pitted against Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Varun Sardesai – who is Aaditya Thackeray’s cousin.

Election Results 2024 LIVE: Hemant Soren’s “historic day” message ahead of results
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who is currently leading from the Barhait seat, said that the counting day is a “historic day”.

जोहार साथियों,

कल झारखण्ड विधानसभा चुनाव के मतगणना का ऐतिहासिक दिन है। आने वाला कल झारखण्ड का है, झारखण्डवासियों का है, अबुआ दिशोम-अबुआ राज का है।

झामुमो और INDIA गठबंधन के सभी कर्मठ साथियों से अपील है कि कल हमें अपने-अपने काउंटिंग सेंटर्स पर सजग और सतर्क होकर काउंटिंग की पूरी… pic.twitter.com/PCPUWDa8P3

– Hemant Soren (@HemantSorenJMM) November 22, 2024

Election Results 2024 LIVE: NDA Widens Lead In Maharashtra, Stays Ahead In Jharkhand

Election results 2024: Eknath Shinde leads from Kopri-Pachpakhadi assembly constituency

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is leading from the Kopri-Pachpakhadi assembly constituency, as per the early trends.

Election results 2024: NDA leads in 16 seats in Jharkhand, INDIA on 6 seats
The BJP-led NDA alliance is leading on 16 seats in Jharkhand, while the opposition INDIA, led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s JMM, is leading on six seats.

Election Results 2024 LIVE Updates: Mahayuti leads in 30 seats in Maharashtra

The Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti alliance – BJP, Shiv Sena and the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) – is leading in 30 seats in early trends. The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi is trailing in six seats.

Election Results 2024: NDA edge in very early leads in Maharashtra, Jharkhand

The BJP-led NDA has an edge in both Maharashtra and Jharkhand as per the early leads. While NDA is leading in eight seats in Maharashtra, the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi is leading in five seats.

In Jharkhand, NDA is leading in six seats, while the Opposition INDIA alliance is leading in three seats.

Election results 2024: Counting begins for assembly elections in Maharashtra, Jharkhand
The counting of votes have begun for the assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand. Along with this, results for 48 assembly seats in 14 states and two Lok Sabha bypoll seats will also be announced.

Election Results 2024 LIVE Updates: Key seats in Maharashtra for Mahayuti vs Maha Vikas Aghadi

Key seats in focus include Worli, where Shiv Sena (UBT) scion Aaditya Thackeray, the incumbent, faces Shinde Sena’s Milind Deora. In Baramati, it’s a family showdown between Ajit Pawar and his nephew Yugendra Pawar from the NCP (SP). Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis may face a tough challenge from Congress candidate Prafful Gudadhe in his stronghold of Nagpur South West.

“Maharashtra will make Maha Vikas Aghadi win”: Shiv Sena (Uddhav team) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said that people of Maharashtra will make the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi victorious and the alliance will make a comeback in the state.

#WATCH | Mumbai: Ahead of the counting of votes for #MaharashtraElection2024 and #JharkhandElection2024, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi says, “Initial trends will start coming in now, postal ballots will be counted. I think picture will be clear around 11 am-12 noon. But… pic.twitter.com/pkfqTtv7SB

– ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2024

Election Results 2024: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra vs Navya Haridas In Wayanad

Elections on Kerala’s Wayanad Lok Sabha seat was also held and the results will be announced today. This is the electoral debut of Congress’ Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who is contesting in Wayanad, earlier held by her brother Rahul Gandhi.

The election was necessitated in Wayanad after Rahul Gandhi won both Wayanad and Rae Bareli seats and decided to retain the latter.

Election results 2024: Key contests in Jharkhand
Key candidates from the JMM include: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, his wife Kalpana Soren, and Sita Soren. From the BJP, some key candidates are former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi, Assembly Speaker Ravindra Nath Mahto (JMM), AJSU Party chief Sudesh Mahto, and Leader of Opposition Amar Kumar Bauri.

Election results 2024: Lok Sabha bypoll result in Maharashtra’s Nanded today
The result for Maharashtra’s Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll will be announced today. The byelection was necessitated after the demise of Chavan Vasantrao Balwantrao.

Election Results 2024: Where to check results?
You can watch the live coverage of the Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly election results on the NDTV news channel. You can also watch the live stream of the election results on NDTV’s YouTube channel and catch the live updates on NDTV.com.

You can also check the results on the official EC website.

Maharashtra, Jharkhand asembly election results today, counting to begin at 8am
The counting of votes for the assembly election results in Maharashtra and Jharkhand will begin at 8 am today. In both the states, the BJP-led NDA alliance and the Opposition INDIA bloc parties have locked horns in a fierce battle.

Election results 2024: Former Jharkhand Congress President on election results today

Former Jharkhand Congress President Rajesh Thakur expressed confidence in the JMM-led alliance retaining the state.

“A short while from now, trends will start coming in. From what I can understand, the results of the work we did are going to be good. We believe that this day will decide the future of Jharkhand…We believe that we will form an even stronger government once again. We will take our schemes to the people for another five years,” he told news agency ANI.

Election results 2024: Key contests in Maharashtra

Ajit Pawar is up against his nephew Yugendra Pawar in Baramati.

Eknath Shinde, seeking a fourth term, is up against rival Sena’s Kedar Dighe. The two will be fighting for Thane’s Kopri- Pachpakhadi seat.

Worli will witness a battle of scions. Milind Deora ( from Eknath Shinde faction) will face off against Aaditya Thackeray.

Bandra East will see Zeeshan Siddique (of Ajit Pawar faction) fight against Varun Sardesai ( from Uddhav Thackeray faction).

Mahim is a triangular fight between incumbent MLA Sada Sarvankar (Team Shinde) vs Mahesh Sawant ( Team Uddhav) vs Amit Thackeray.

Devendra Fadnavis will face off against former corporator Praful Vinodrao Gudadhe of the Congress in Nagpur South West seat. The constituency has been the bastion of the BJP since 1999.

Jharkhand Elections 2024: Exit Polls Give NDA Edge, But Hemant Soren Confident
The Jharkhand Assembly elections results, set to be announced today, promise a tense outcome as exit polls show sharply divided projections. The elections concluded on Wednesday with voting spread across two phases for 81 seats. Despite exit polls giving NDA the edge, the JMM is confident of forming government again under the leadership of Hemant Soren, with a two-thirds majority.

Election results 2024: JMM vs BJP-led NDA in Jharkhand
In the 81-seat Jharkhand assembly election, the ruling JMM-led INDIA bloc is seeking to make a comeback, while the BJP-led NDA alliance is aiming to wrest it from the ruling alliance. The JMM fought the election in 41 assembly seats, while its allies and their seats include: Congress (30), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) (6), and Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (4). On the other hand, the Opposition BJP in Jharkhand contested 68 seats, and its allies – All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) on 10 seats, Janata Dal (United) (2), and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) (1).

Election results 2024: Mahayuti vs MVA in Maharashtra
In the 288-seat Maharashtra assembly election, the key contest is between the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti alliance – BJP, Shiv Sena and the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction), and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) – Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction). While the BJP is contesting on 149 seats, Shiv Sena (81) and Ajit Pawar’s NCP (59) in the Mahayuti alliance, the Congress is fighting on 101 seats, Shiv Sena (UBT) on 95 and NCP (SP) on 86 seats in the MVA group.

Election results 2024: Results to Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly elections to be declared today
All eyes are on the counting of votes and results of the high-stake Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly elections, which will begin at 8 am today. While Maharashtra voted in a single phase on November 23, Jharkhand voted in two phases – November 13 and November 21.

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Watch: ‘We must accept the results of this election’: Kamala Harris concedes election

admin — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 04:49:05 +0000

Watch: ‘We must accept the results of this election’: Kamala Harris concedes election

Faced with a rejection by American voters, Vice President Kamala Harris conceded the presidential election to Donald Trump on October 6, 2024, and encouraged supporters to continue fighting for their vision of the country.

Ms. Harris called Mr. Trump to congratulate him on his victory before she addressed her supporters. She told the crowd that “we will engage in a peaceful transfer of power.” “My heart is full today….full of love for our country and full of resolve,” she said. “I spoke with President-Elect Trump and congratulated him on his victory. I also told him that we will help him and his team with their transition and that we will engage in a peaceful transfer of power,” she said, speaking at her alma mater, Howard University, just after 4 pm in Washington D.C.

Published – November 07, 2024 10:19 am IST

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Haryana Assembly Election Result 2025 “Those With 5-Star Lives Instigating Poor Over Caste”: PM Slams Rahul Gandhi

admin — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 15:23:35 +0000

Elections Results 2024 Live: The Congress has been spreading fear over caste, said PM Modi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, addressing party cadre after the stunning win in Haryana and impressive show in Jammu and Kashmir polls, singled out its principal rival, the Congress, and launched a blistering attack on the party and its leader Rahul Gandhi.

The Congress, which exit polls predicted will sweep Haryana, has been shown “no entry” board by voters, said the Prime Minister, adding that nowhere has the Congress been given a second chance.

“Congress rarely comes back to power. It was 13 years ago that the Congress came back to power in Assam and there are some states where the Congress has not returned to power for 60 years,” he said.

Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir election results live updates here.

“It has been spreading fear over caste. People who were born with a silver spoon and leading 5-star lives, want the poor to fight among themselves over caste. Our Dalit community must not forget. It is Congress which has committed most atrocities against the Dalits,” said the Prime Minister.

Rahul Gandhi, who has been bullish over the caste census, has questioned the Modi government over the delay in conducting a caste census.

“For the Congress, the caste census is the foundation of policy making. It is a tool for policy making. We cannot make policies in the reality of India without a caste census,” said Rahul Gandhi, while on a visit to the US.

Mr Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition, said just like the Constitution, the “caste census” is a policy framework and a guide for the Congress.

The Prime Minister said the Congress tried to provoke Dalits, tribals, farmers and youth in all possible ways, but people saw through its tricks and propaganda and rejected the party.

“In the land of Gita, truth and development and good governance have won,” the Prime Minister said.

“The Congress wants to spread anarchy in the country. It wants to weaken it. It has been constantly trying to stoke fires. It tried to instigate the farmers,” said the Prime Minister, adding that “those who are with the country are with the BJP”, he said.

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5 Factors Behind Congress’s Haryana Shock

admin — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 06:59:45 +0000

Bhupinder Hooda was given a free hand as far as the Congress campaign was concerned

New Delhi:

Around 9 am, one hour into the counting of votes for the Haryana polls, the Congress had surged far ahead of the BJP. Jalebis and dhols marked celebrations at the Congress headquarters in Delhi, sharply contrasting with the deserted BJP office.

But an hour later, the tables turned and the BJP was back in the game. Two more hours later, the BJP was firmly ahead and appeared headed for its biggest win in Haryana, defying exit poll predictions by a wide margin. Now the BJP headquarters was abuzz, with laddoos, jalebis and the works. Congress leaders hoped against hope for a turnaround in what had initially been a see-saw battle. Several rounds of counting are still left, but the picture is unlikely to change a lot.

Here are the five factors that contributed to the Congress setback

Congress Infighting: The Congress won 31 seats in Haryana in the 2019 election. If the current numbers hold, the party has not improved its performance substantially to enable a comeback.

One major factor is the party’s infighting and its top leaders squabbling for power. Much before the election, Congress leaders had maintained that victory was a foregone conclusion and had started jockeying for the Chief Minister post. The power tussle between Congress veteran Bhupinder Singh Hooda and senior leader Kumari Selja was out in the open, requiring much damage control behind the scenes.

While the Congress struggled to project a united front in the run-up to the election, it was crystal clear that the main opposition was a divided house. Mr Hooda was given a free hand in deciding candidates or alliances. The results show this did not work.

Regional Forces, Independents Ruin It For Opposition: While the Congress is marginally ahead of the BJP in the vote-share, the trends show it has not been very successful in converting this to seats. In several seats, the margin is very low, indicating that regional parties and Independents ate into the anti-incumbency votes in Haryana, benefiting the BJP.

The regional parties, however, failed to score in this election. The INLD and the BSP currently lead in one seat each and four Independents are ahead.

Anti-Jat Consolidation: While the Congress, led by Mr Hooda, focused on Jat votes, there was apparently a counter consolidation of non-Jat votes in favour of the BJP. In the run-up to the election, NDTV had repeatedly heard a term – Jatshahi (meaning supremacy of Jats). A Congress victory would have pointed to a return of the influential community’s heft in the state. Instead, other communities appear to have voted overwhelmingly in favour of the ruling party.

BJP’s Backroom Work: Though poll analysts had written off the BJP in Haryana, silent work on the ground turned the tide in the ruling party’s favour. Union minister and BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan was tasked with the party’s campaign for the tough election, and as the trends indicate, he has delivered in style. The BJP’s election machinery has yet again snatched victory from Congress’s jaws. Congress spokesperson Ajoy Kumar told NDTV that the party would definitely need to introspect why it could not convert public support into votes.

BJP’s Urban Supremacy: Over the past decade, the BJP has consolidated support in Haryana’s urban areas, such as Gurgaon and Faridabad. The Congress had expected to sweep the rural areas, but this does not appear to have happened as much as it would have liked. In Gurgaon, Faridabad and Ballabhgarh, the BJP is leading at this point.

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