Outgoing Haryana CM Saini hopes for BJP's hat-trick; Congress's Hooda confident of comeback

As polling for the 90-member legislative Assembly in the BJP-ruled Haryana began on Saturday with 2.03 crore electorates salted to decide the fate of 1,031 candidates, outgoing Chief Minister and BJP leader Nayab Singh Saini expressed confidence the party would be forming the government for the third time with a huge margin.

However, Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Hooda is equally confidant of dethroning the 10-year government largely due to "existing resentment" among farmers, government employees, unemployed youth and wrestlers, all a crucial vote bank.

"We (BJP) are winning and forming the government for the third time with a big margin. The BJP will form a government in Haryana for the third time with a historic margin. People have rejected 'jhooth ki rajneeti' (politics of lies) of the Congress," he told the media after casting his vote in hometown Mirzapur.

"They lied during the Lok Sabha polls that the Constitution is in danger and reservation will end. Rahul Gandhi is the biggest face of ending reservation. People here is India are awake about what he says in English in foreign countries," he said.

Congress veteran Hooda, who is leading the Congress campaign, asked the voters that "every vote will decide the future and direction of the state".

"All of you must vote for the progress and prosperity of the state and also motivate people around you to vote," he said in a message on X.

A total of 20,632 polling booths have been set up for the election amid tight security and polling will continue till 6 P.M.

While the Congress is banking on "strong anti-incumbency" against the BJP, the latter is depending on its "good performance and achievements" of the last 10 years.

The 90-member legislative Assembly witnessed high-decibel month-long electioneering, especially from the Congress and the BJP with each contesting on 89 seats, to woo the support of 2.03 crore electorates.

Among top leaders on the ballot are Chief Minister Saini from Ladwa, Congress stalwart Hooda from his stronghold Garhi Sampla-Kiloi, former minister and BJP's Ambala Cantonment candidate Anil Vij, former BJP finance minister Capt Abhimanyu from Narnaund, former state BJP chief Om Prakash Dhankar from Badli and former BJP minister Ranjit Singh, who is in the fray as an Independent from Rania.

Congress candidate from Julana Assembly constituency and Olympic wrestler-turned-politician Vinesh Phogat was among the first to cast an early vote.

"It is a huge festival for Haryana and a very big day for the people of the state... Ten years ago when Bhupinder Hooda was the CM, the level of sports in the state was really good. It is not in my hands (to become a minister), it is in the hands of the high command," she told the media at a polling station in Charkhi Dadri, her hometown.

On optimistic former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar predicted the BJP would get more than 50 seats this time.

"The Bharatiya Janata Party would secure more than 50 seats in the Haryana Assembly elections," Union Minister Khattar said after casting his vote at a polling booth in his hometown Karnal.

Former Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala said his party Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) would get good numbers.

"This time we are in alliance with the Azad Samaj Party and we will get good numbers," said Dushyant Chautala, the JJP's candidate from Uchana Kalan, who came along with his wife and mother at a polling booth in Sirsa.

Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat exercised his right to vote at a polling station in Kurukshetra.

After casting his vote, Devvrat said, "My family exercised its right to vote today. I want to urge all people of Haryana to exercise their right to vote so that we can play an important role in making a good society."

Chief Electoral Officer Pankaj Agarwal said every vote counts and people should actively participate in this festival of democracy by exercising their franchise.

He said 2.03 crore voters, including 1.07 crore men, 95,77,926 women and 467 third-gender voters would cast votes.

(With inputs from IANS)