Haryana Assembly elections 2019: B S Hooda urges all non-BJP parties to join hands
Chandigarh, Oct 24: With hung assembly emerging as the most likely outcome of the Haryana elections, former chief minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Thursday urged two other parties and the independents to join hands to thwart the BJP from forming the government in the northern state.
The BJP, which had set a target of winning 75 seats ahead of the polls, is leading in 39 seats, while the Congress is ahead in around 33-34 constituencies. The majority mark needed to form government in 90 seat Haryana Assembly is 46. Both Congress and BJP would fall short of majority mark and the JJP, which is leading in 12 seats, is likely to emerge as the kingmaker.

"The time has come for Congress, JJP, INLD, and independent candidates to come together to form a strong government. I assure that each one will be respected and given a respectable position," Hooda said.
[Exit
Poll
2019:
Khattar
stands
tall
amid
Congress-INLD
ruins;
BJP
set
to
retain
power
in
Haryana]
After two hours of counting when it almost became clear that the support of Dushyant Chautala's party would be key to forming the government, the JJP chief is said to have put forth the demand that he be made the CM. JJP is likely to win around 12-13 seats. As of trends at 3.00 pm, the BJP is leading in 39 seats.

In the Haryana Assembly elections 2014, the BJP won 47 of the 90 seats and wrested power from Congress. BS Hooda led Congress government was in power for 10 years before Khattar replaced him in 2014.
[Haryana
heading
for
hung
assembly,
govt
formation
to
hinge
on
JJP's
support]
Previous Haryana elections saw a major change in the voting pattern as the BJP gained by 43 seats compared to 2009 while the Congress' seat share nosedived. Compared to 2014, Congress made a come back of sorts.
As the 2019 Haryana polls drew near, the BJP set itself a target to better its performance over 2014 and coined a campaign phrase "abki baar 75 paar" (This time, more than 75). It appeared to be a realistic goal about four months ago as both the opposition parties, Congress and INLD, were facing an internal crisis.
JJP is a breakaway faction of the INLD. Given this, it would be interesting to see if INLD and JJP agree to join hands with Congress.