Assembly Election 2024

The first Assembly election in Haryana was held in 1967. This was after Haryana was carved out as a separate state from Punjab on November 1, 1966. In the 1967 elections, the Indian National Congress emerged as the largest party, but it couldn't form a stable government, leading to a series of political upheavals and the eventual formation of a non-Congress government in the state.

The Haryana Assembly elections for 2024 are scheduled to take place on October 5, with the results being announced on October 8.

The last Haryana Assembly elections were held on October 21, 2019. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged as the single largest party but fell short of an outright majority. It formed a coalition government with the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) and independent MLAs. Manohar Lal Khattar continued as Chief Minister, while Dushyant Chautala from JJP became the Deputy Chief Minister.

The BJP formed a government with the support of JJP in Haryana with Manohar Khattar becoming the CM for the second time and Dushyant Chautala took over as deputy CM.

Haryana was one of the epicenters of the farmers' protests against the three agricultural laws passed by the central government.

The protests led to the split between two allies- The BJP and JJP as many JJP leaders were under pressure from their rural voter base to oppose the laws. After the BJP-JJP split, Nayab Singh Saini was made the new CM.

In the 2019 Haryana Assembly elections, the seat distribution among major parties was as follows:

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP): 40 seats

Congress: 31 seats

Jannayak Janta Party (JJP): 10 seats

Indian National Lok Dal (INLD): 1 seat

Independents: 7 seats

Manohar Lal Khattar (BJP): The incumbent Chief Minister, Khattar contested from Karnal and secured victory.

Bhupinder Singh Hooda (Congress): The former Chief Minister of Haryana and senior Congress leader, Hooda contested from Garhi Sampla-Kiloi and won.

Dushyant Chautala (JJP): The leader of the newly formed Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), Chautala contested from Uchana Kalan and won. His party became the kingmaker after the elections, and he was appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister in the BJP-JJP coalition government.

Abhay Singh Chautala (INLD): A senior leader of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), Abhay Chautala contested from Ellenabad and won.

Randeep Singh Surjewala (Congress): A prominent Congress leader and national spokesperson, Surjewala contested from Kaithal but lost.

The aftermath of the farmers' protests (2020-2021) remains a crucial issue. Farmers are concerned about agricultural reforms, Minimum Support Price (MSP), and overall rural development.

Unemployment continues to be a major issue in Haryana. Despite being one of India's most industrialized states, youth unemployment remains high.

Agniveer Scheme- There has been a clear resentment among youth for the BJP about the Agniveer Scheme. The scheme, introduced in 2022, aims to recruit soldiers for short-term contracts of four years, with a portion being retained for longer service.

Caste dynamics, especially concerning the Jat community, play a critical role in Haryana’s politics. The demand for increased reservations, particularly from the Jat community, has been a sensitive issue, influencing electoral alliances and political strategies.

For the upcoming 2024 Haryana Assembly elections, major political parties have made several key promises to attract voters:

1. BJP Youth Employment: The BJP has promised to focus on job creation and skill development for the youth. They aim to bring more industries to Haryana and boost the state’s IT and manufacturing sectors. Agriculture Support: The party has pledged to support farmers with better irrigation facilities, higher MSP, and agricultural reforms to boost productivity. Infrastructure Development: The BJP plans to enhance road connectivity, public transport, and urban infrastructure, particularly in growing cities like Gurugram and Faridabad. Women's Safety and Empowerment: Promises to improve law and order, along with special programs for women's safety and welfare, have been central to their manifesto.

2. Congress Job Guarantee: Congress has promised to address unemployment by creating more government jobs, with a particular focus on providing secure long-term employment. Free Electricity: One of the key promises includes providing up to 300 units of free electricity to households, mirroring the strategies of other states like Punjab. Farmers' Welfare: Congress has pledged to waive off farm loans and provide financial relief to struggling farmers. They also promised to oppose the farm laws that led to widespread protests in Haryana. Reservation for Women: The party is also advocating for 33% reservation for women in government jobs.

3. JJP Agriculture Reforms: JJP has made promises to implement comprehensive agricultural reforms, including providing subsidies to farmers, crop insurance, and modernizing rural infrastructure. Rural Development: The party focuses on improving healthcare, education, and infrastructure in rural areas, particularly in the Jat-dominated regions. Youth Welfare: Promises include setting up skill development centres and offering loans to young entrepreneurs to promote self-employment.

4. AAP Education and Healthcare: AAP has promised to replicate its Delhi model in Haryana, offering free quality education, building better schools, and providing universal healthcare. Free Electricity and Water: AAP has announced that it will provide free electricity (up to 300 units) and clean drinking water to all households if voted to power. Corruption-Free Governance: The party has highlighted transparency and corruption-free governance, pledging to eliminate bureaucratic inefficiencies.