H'yana Result: BJP falls short by 6 seats; JJP emerge as kingmaker

Lucknow: Counting of votes for the Haryana assembly election began on Thursday, with the BJP looking to retain power and its hopes buoyed by exit polls that indicated an easy victory.

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A counting centre has been set up in each of the 90 assembly constituencies and there is an additional centre in Gurgaon's Badshahpur segment, which had a larger number of polling booths.

While most exit polls projected a comfortable victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party, one predicted a close fight between the BJP and Congress with the Jannayak Janta Party likely to play kingmaker.

The JJP came into existence after a split last year in the Indian National Lok Dal. Most exit polls predict that the INLD, founded by former deputy prime minister Devi Lal, will be decimated.

Haryana had on Monday recorded a voter turnout of over 68 per cent, a sharp decline from 76.54 in the 2014 assembly polls.

In 2014, the BJP had won 47 seats and the Congress 15, with two Haryana Janhit Congress legislators later merging with it.

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The INLD had 19 seats and the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Shiromani Akali Dal one each. There were five Independents.

Later, two INLD legislators died and, barring Abhay Singh Chautala, most other INLD MLAs and prominent leaders switched to the BJP, Congress or the JJP. The BJP won the Jind bypoll this year, taking its strength to 48 in the 90-member House.

Altogether, 1,169 candidates, including 105 women, entered the fray this time. Prominent among those whose fate will be known on Thursday include Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, former Congress CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, JJP leader Dushyant Chautala and INLD's Abhay Singh Chautala. Haryana ministers Ram Bilas Sharma, Anil Vij, Capt Abhimanyu, O P Dhankar and Kavita Jain also contested for the BJP.

Apart from Hooda, other Congress bigwigs in the contest include Randeep Singh Surjewala, Kiran Choudhry, Ranbir Mahendra and Kuldeep Bishnoi.

The BJP also fielded TikTok star Sonali Phogat and three sportspersons -- Babita Phogat, Yogeshwar Dutt and Sandeep Singh. Led by Khattar, the BJP had set a target of winning 75 seats in the state, where the Congress is struggling to make a comeback. The Aam Aadmi Party, the Loktantra Suraksha Party and Swaraj India also contested the elections, though none of them fought all 90 seats.

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Congress makes strong comeback in early trends

In an indication of how close the battle is expected to be in Haryana, the Congress has now come head to head with the BJP in the first hour of counting. As of now the BJP is leading on 37 seats, while the Congress is leading on 32 seats.

Congress-BJP in close battle

Ahead of vote vountings, Congress and BJP are running in a close battle with each other.

he BJP is leading on one of the two seats of Himachal Pradesh where by-election was held, a state election official said.

BJP leading in Dharamshala

After first round of counting, Vishal Nehriya of the BJP is leading with 1,187 votes against his nearest rival Vijay Inder Karan of the Congress in Dharamshala.

The trend is being awaited for Pachhad seat.

Counting began on both the assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh on Thursday where voting took place on Monday, the officials added.

Congress will get majority: Bhupinder Singh Hooda

As early trends augur good signs for the Congress, two-time CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda confidently told media, "Congress ka bahumat aaega (Congress will get a majority)"

75 paar fail, ab Yamuna paar ki baari hai: Dushyant Chautala

With early trends still showing the BJP shy of the majority mark in Haryana, JJP chief Dushyant Chautala mocked the saffron party. Speaking to media, he said, "Haryana ki janta ka pyar mil raha hai. Badlaav ki nishaani hai. 75 paar toh fail hogaya (for BJP), ab Yamuna paar karne ki baari hai. (We are getting the love of the people of Haryana. This is a sign of change. BJP's bid to cross 75 has failed, now they will have to cross the Yamuna.)"

Badals tasked with wooing JJP to NDA camp

As poll trends indicate JJP will play kingmaker in the Haryana polls, the BJP has sent allies -- Prakash Singh Badal and Sukhbir Singh Badal of the Akali Dal have been sent to talk to Dushyant Chautala.

Dushyant Chautala reaches out to Congress, demands CM post

BJP asks Haryana CM ML Khattar to come to Delhi

The BJP high command has called Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar to Delhi for consultations on Haryana election results. ML Khattar is likely to reach Delhi this afternoon.

Sonia Gandhi charges Hooda with govt formation

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi has spoken to Bhupinder Singh Hooda and has given him a free hand on government formation. She has entrusted him with taking a call on Dushyant Chautala. She has told him to take all decisions regarding government formation on his own as well as decide on whether to give the CM post to JJP.

BJP asks spokespersons to not attack JJP in debates

According to BJP sources, the party high command has instructed its spokespersons to not attack the JJP in TV debates and instead focus on the Congress.

Dushyant Chautala denies speaking to either BJP or Congress

BJP state chief Subash Barala resigns

After trailing from 22,000 votes from Haryana's Tohana, BJP state chief Subash Barala has resigned from his post.

Barala resigned, taking responsibility for his defeat in Tohana as well as the party's poor performance in the Haryana polls.

Sources told that BJP chief Amit Shah reprimanded Barala for the party's performance.

BJP changes strategy: Will stake claim if it emerges as single-largest party

Sources in the Haryana CMO have told that the BJP has not conceded defeat in Haryana as of now. The party will stake claim to form government if it emerges as the single-largest party.

The BJP will also not be asking the JJP or other parties for support, the sources said.

The saffron party's plan of action is now to woo Independents as well as try and get winning candidates from other parties to defect.

Manohar Lal Khattar is presently meeting the BJP high command in Delhi but may return to state capital Chandigarh by night and start executing the party strategy.

According to sources, BJP believes that despite not winning a clear majority, it will still emerge as the single largest party in Haryana and hence it will not back away from staking claim to form the government.

Bhupinder Hooda calls for unity against BJP

Holding a press conference in Rohtak, Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda gave a call to all opposition parties to come together against the BJP. "The time has come for Congress, JJP, INLD, and independents to come together to form a strong government," he said.

"I assure that each one will be respected and given a respectable position," Hooda added.

JJP's Ram Karan wins from Shahbad

The Election Commission has declared the result for the reserved constituency of Shahbad. JJP candidate Ram Karan Kala has won from Shahbad by 37,127. He has defeated BJP's Krishan Kumar.

BJP wins 13 seats, Congress close behind on 10

BJP wins 26 seats and is leading on 14: EC

As per the official trends by the Election Commission, BJP has won 26 seats and is leading on 14 taking a total lead on 40 seats. Congress has won 20 seats and is leading on 11, taking a total lead on 31 seats. Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) has won 10 seats.

Haryana election result: BJP falls short of halfway mark, JJP emerges as kingmaker

After a neck-and-neck contest in Haryana, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won a total of 39 seats, taking over the Congress, although the saffron party is still short of halfway mark in the 90-member state assembly

According to the Election Commission, the BJP has won 39 seats, while Congress has won 31. The Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), which was formed just 11 months ago, has bagged 10 seats.

With this, Dushyant Chautala-led JJP is expected to play the role of kingmaker. While there has been no official announcement, the sources told the India Today TV that the JJP would support the BJP to form the next government in Haryana.