BJP Wins Third Consecutive Victory In Haryana Assembly Elections 2024

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured a third consecutive victory in the 2024 Haryana Assembly elections. The BJP won 48 out of the 90 seats, while the Congress suffered a significant defeat.

Initially, trends indicated a Congress lead, but the BJP quickly gained momentum and emerged victorious. This outcome has sparked discussions about the BJP's commitment to women's empowerment.

Photo Credit: PTI

Despite their success, the BJP's approach to women's representation in politics has come under scrutiny. Out of 90 seats, only seven women candidates were fielded by the BJP, with just three securing victories. Similarly, the Congress nominated eight women candidates, but only three emerged victorious. These results highlight the ongoing challenges in increasing women's participation and success in politics.

In terms of individual performances, Shakti Rani Sharma from Ateli secured 60,612 votes, Arti Singh Rao from Tosham received 57,737 votes, and Shruti Choudhary garnered 76,414 votes. These were the three successful women candidates from the BJP. Meanwhile, Congress saw victories for Shaili Choudhary in Narayangagh with 62,180 votes, Pooja in Mulana with 79,089 votes, and Vinesh in Julana with 65,080 votes.

Several women candidates from both parties faced defeats. For the BJP, Sona Duggal from Ratia and Manju Hooda from Garhi Sampla-Kiloi were among those who lost. Similarly, Congress candidates like Renu Bala from Sadhaura and Gita Bhukkal from Jhajjar did not win their respective seats.

An independent candidate also made headlines. Savitri Jindal won the Hisar seat with 49,231 votes. This victory was notable amidst the broader election results. In terms of voter demographics across Haryana, there were a total of 2,03,54,350 voters. Male voters numbered 1,07,75,957 while female voters were 95,77,926. Additionally, there were 4671 voters identified as third gender.

The participation of young voters aged between 18 to 19 was recorded at 5,24,514. Meanwhile, voters above the age of 85 numbered 2,31,093. These figures provide insight into the diverse voter base that participated in this election cycle.

Challenges for Women in Haryana

Haryana has historically struggled with a low sex ratio. The 2011 census reported only 879 women per 1000 men in the state. This figure was significantly below the national average due to factors like sex-selective abortions and traditional patriarchal preferences for sons. However, efforts by both government and NGOs have led to improvements over recent years.

By 2021 data indicates that Haryana's sex ratio has improved slightly to 926 women per 1000 men. Despite this progress, challenges remain in ensuring equal opportunities for women in various sectors including politics.

The BJP's triumph in Haryana highlights ongoing issues regarding women's representation in politics. Both major parties need to focus on enhancing opportunities for women within electoral politics to boost their representation and influence.