BJP Seeks Change In Haryana Assembly Elections 2024 Dates; Congress Takes Jibe

Haryana Assembly Elections 2024: The Haryana BJP has requested the Election Commission to reschedule the Assembly polls set for October 1, citing holidays around that date. This move prompted criticism from the Congress, with former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda suggesting that the BJP is conceding defeat.

Varinder Garg, a member of the BJP's state election management committee, explained their reasoning. "We have reasoned that the Assembly election date of October 1 is preceded by holiday on weekend and followed by some holidays which may hit the voting percentage as people tend to go on vacation on long weekends which are followed by holidays."

Holidays Impacting Voter Turnout

Garg elaborated on the specific holidays: "Saturday (September 28) is a holiday for many, while Sunday is a holiday. October 1 is a poll holiday in the state which is followed by Gandhi Jayanti on October 2, which is a holiday and October 3 is also a holiday on account of Maharaja Agrasen Jayanti," he said.

State Chief Electoral Officer Pankaj Agarwal confirmed receiving Badoli's letter. "We have received the communication from state BJP and forwarded it to the Election Commission," he told PTI.

Congress Criticises BJP's Request

Senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda criticised the BJP's request to delay the election. He stated, "Elections have been declared and it has been more than a week since it was declared. This means that they want to postpone the election. They are accepting defeat and we want the Election Commission to hold the election on time because people do not want the government to remain in power for even a day."

Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini confirmed Badoli's letter to the Election Commission. "Our BJP state president Mohan Badoli has written to the Election Commission to shift the (election) date in consultation with other political parties so that vote percentage can be increased. There are holidays continuously and therefore this letter has been written so that vote percentage does not go down," Saini said.

Upcoming Haryana Elections

The Election Commission announced on August 16 that Haryana's Assembly polls would occur in a single phase on October 1, with results expected on October 4. The current Haryana Assembly's tenure ends on November 3.

The BJP aims for a third consecutive term, while Congress seeks to reclaim power from them. The upcoming elections will determine who will govern Haryana next.

The request from Haryana BJP highlights concerns about voter turnout due to consecutive holidays around October 1. The Election Commission will decide whether to accommodate this request or proceed as planned.