Despite changing the Chief Minister just before the Lok Sabha elections to consolidate the non-Jat vote, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appears to have been outmanoeuvred by the Congress in Haryana. The strategic placement of politicians such as Deepender Hooda and Selja Kumari in a personality and family-driven political contest yielded political dividends for the Congress. Meanwhile, the Congress improved its vote share from 28% in 2019 to 44% in 2024. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)’s votes were split between the BJP and Congress, benefiting the latter the most. The Congress’s strategic manoeuvres and its creation of a broad social coalition in Haryana paid off.

Source: The Hindu June 09, 2024 04:59 UTC