Congress Ups Vote Share in Haryana, BJP Sees Decline from 2019

In a significant shift in Haryana's political landscape, the Congress party has made notable gains in the recent polls, securing five seats previously held by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This change comes as a blow to the BJP, which had dominated the 2019 Lok Sabha elections by winning all 10 seats in the state. The latest data from the Election Commission reveals a decrease in BJP's vote share from 58.2% in 2019 to 46.11%, marking a significant shift in voter preference.

On the other hand, the Congress party witnessed an increase in its vote share, climbing from 28.42% in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls to 43.7%. Despite contesting one seat less than in the previous election, the Congress's performance has been considerably stronger this time around. Other parties, including the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), saw a decline, with their vote shares being reduced to marginal figures.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), despite its alliance with the Congress INDIA bloc and contesting the Kurukshetra seat, was unable to secure a win against the BJP, managing only a 3.49% vote share. This was a slight improvement from their 0.4% share in 2019 when they contested three seats but failed to win any.

The BSP and INLD also faced setbacks, with vote shares of 1.27% and 1.74% respectively, across the seats they contested. The JJP, which had a vote share of 4.9% in 2019 from seven seats, saw a decrease to just 0.87% this time, despite contesting ten seats.

Interestingly, of the more than two crore eligible voters in Haryana, nearly 65% exercised their franchise in the polls held on May 25. Among these voters, 0.33% opted for the NOTA option, indicating a small but notable fraction of the electorate choosing not to vote for any candidate.

This shift in voter sentiment and party performance indicates a changing political dynamic in Haryana. While the BJP remains a strong contender by securing half of the seats, the Congress's gain in both seats and vote share suggests a resurgence of support for the party among the state's electorate. The decline of other parties like JJP, BSP, and INLD further underscores the evolving political landscape in Haryana.