New Delhi: The BJP is set to register a historic third consecutive victory in Haryana, even though many thought it would lose because of massive anti-incumbency, anger among farmers and Jats and the Agniveer scheme. Now that trends have made the extent of its victory clear – the party is leading in 48 of the 90 seats – party sources said it has implemented a winning strategy. Consolidation of non-Jat votes A senior BJP leader said what worked here was the improved governance by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini in place of Manohar Lal Khattar. The leader said it was surprising because Jat voters are always vocal, but those who voted for the BJP were a silent majority, expressing their support through the ballot box. Playunmute
Fullscreen
BJP state leaders say Mr Saini has managed to implement several schemes benefiting traders, youth, backward classes and government employees in his brief tenure, eliminating the anti-incumbency that had accumulated over the years against Mr Khattar’s government.
He launched the state’s Haryana Agniveer Policy, 2024, to provide employment and entrepreneurship opportunities to Agniveers and counter protests over the Agniveer scheme. He started providing free medical tests in government hospitals for the underprivileged and abolished minimum charges on electricity.
Congress reins in the hands of Bhupinder Singh Hooda
Party leaders said the BJP has always worked for a better life for all communities, rather than aligning itself with a party community, as the Congress did in this case. The Jats in Haryana have always tried to dominate other communities like OBCs, Punjabis, Dalits and others.
Sources said this is the reason the BJP has been careful not to put a Jat leader at the helm of the government. Mr Khattar is a Punjabi Khatri while Mr Saini belongs to the Other Backward Classes.
It did not help when Mr Hooda, one of the tallest leaders of the Jat community, openly said a Jat leader would be the chief minister. This polarised other communities and they voted against the dominance of one community, leaders said.
Appointing Nayab Singh Saini as the party’s face
Appointing Nayab Singh Saini helped the party fight the anti-incumbency wave it had anticipated just before the Lok Sabha polls. Though it did not yield much benefit in the Lok Sabha polls, with the Congress winning five of the 10 Lok Sabha seats in the state, the BJP was able to send a message by the time the Assembly polls came.
Besides, Mr Saini not only has a clean image but is also easily accessible among the masses.
“Kharchi and Parchi” attack on Congress
A senior BJP leader said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attacks on the “kharchi-parchi” system worked wonders for the party. In his election speeches in Haryana, PM Modi repeatedly said that the 10-year Congress government saw the “parchi” and “kharchi” system in which even a job could not be obtained without corruption or favouritism.
The leaders said the BJP acted on the fear that if the Congress returned to power, the extortion business would resume in Haryana.
Listen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.com
Farmers’ agitation
Post a comment
The second phase of the farmers’ agitation worked in BJP’s favour. A party leader, on condition of anonymity, said the BJP’s decision to not allow farmers to cross the Sambhu border helped the party, as a massive law and order situation had arisen in the state during the first phase of the farmers’ agitation.
