The BJP was poised to take power in Haryana for the first time with exit polls Wednesday giving it a clear mandate at the end of keenly fought elections to the 90-member Haryana assembly.TodayÂ’s Chanakya exit poll gave the Bharatiya Janata Party a majority with 52 seats while the ABP-Nielsen survey gave it 46 seats. However, the C-Voter exit poll gave the party 37 seats in a hung assembly.HaryanaÂ’s voters Wednesday set a new record with over 75.5 percent of the 1.63 crore electorate exercising their franchise, perking up the BJP's hopes to come to power on its own.The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) too exuded confidence but surveys put it at the second spot, far away from the majority figure. The Congress, looking for a third term, however, did not look downcast.
Minor clashes at about 10 places marred the otherwise peaceful polling.This is the highest voting in Haryana assembly polls since 1967, Chief Electoral Officer Shrikant Walgad said.The previous record of maximum polling was 72.65 percent in 1967. In 2009, Haryana recorded nearly 72.29 percent voting.Nearly 14 of HaryanaÂ’s 21 districts recorded a polling percentage of 75 percent and above. Five of these saw over 80 percent polling. NCR areas of Faridabad and Gurgaon recorded a relatively lower turnout of 62 and 68 percent.The main contest is between the ruling Congress, the main opposition INLD and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).The BJP, which is contesting the assembly polls in the state on its own for the first time, was upbeat, saying the high polling showed that voters wanted a change.
"The BJP is all set to form the next government in Haryana on its own. We will get a clear majority and end scams and corruption," BJP leader Abhimanyu said.Added BJP leader Anil Vij: "The BJP will win at least two-thirds of the seats. The party will form the government with a full majority." However, incumbent Congress Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda was not willing to give up easily."Seeing the response of the voters, I can say that the Congress will form the government for a third term," Hooda said after voting in his village.The INLD claimed the heavy turnout was an indication that the party was going to form the next government."We will form the next government," INLD leader Abhay Chautala said.
The balloting will decide the fate of 1,351 candidates including 116 women. The results will be known Sunday.Minor clashes were reported at about 10 places, mostly between INLD and BJP workers, leaving some people injured. At one place in Sirsa district, INLD workers clashed with former minister Gopal Kanda and his supporters and damaged an SUV.A clash took place between BJP and INLD workers in Baansgaon in Narnaund constituency in Hisar district. BJP candidate Abhimanyu alleged that INLD workers captured the polling booth and stopped the webcast from there. Another clash was reported from Barwala constituency in the same district.In Jind, INLD and BJP workers clashed in Uchana Kalan. An election official was allegedly manhandled here.Voting was impacted in Sikanderpur village in Pataudi constituency as an official told women to unveil their faces before voting, police said.
Among the early voters Wednesday were the country's richest woman Savitri Jindal, INLD candidates Naina Chautala and Dushyant Chautala, the Hisar MP, Haryana Janhit Congress president Kuldeep Bishnoi, union Minister of State Krishan Pal Gurjar and former union minister Venod Sharma.Heavy balloting was reported from most booths. Voters stood patiently outside rural polling stations in most areas. At many urban polling booths also, brisk voting was reported.Voters queued up at some places even before the start of polling at 7 a.m. Polling took place in 16,357 polling centres between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m.Most seats witnessed multi-cornered contests. Other contestants included tbe Haryana Janhit Congress, the newly floated Haryana Jan Chetna Party, Haryana Lokhit Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party.