Blitz Bureau
CHANDIGARH: Defying all exit poll results, the ruling BJP is certain to win a third term in office as the counting of votes is underway, with incumbent Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini saying that the party is ready to serve Haryana for the third time.
The Congress, which has been out of power for 10 years, has been far behind though it won more seats than in the 2019 Assembly elections.
This electoral battle, the first significant face-off between the two national parties after the Lok Sabha elections, has the potential to shape the political discourse in the upcoming Assembly polls in Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Delhi.
The BJP and Congress have been engaged in a seesaw battle since counting began at 8 a.m., with the BJP on track for a hat trick, leading in 45 seats and already securing three wins. The Congress is ahead in 34 seats and has also won eight seats.
The Aam Aadmi Party has not yet secured any seats in Haryana despite contesting on all 90 seats.
Savitri Jindal, an Independent candidate, has secured victory from Hisar. She is India’s wealthiest woman and controls OP Jindal Group.
From the Muslim-dominated Nuh, all three seats were retained by the Congress. They are Aftab Ahmed from Nuh, Mohammad Ilyas from Punahana and Mamman Khan from Ferozepur Jhirka.
