The upcoming Haryana Assembly elections on October 5th are shaping up to be a captivating battleground of political promises, freebies, and intricate caste dynamics. With 90 seats up for grabs, the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and newly formed alliances are leaving no stone unturned to secure victory.
The BJP, aiming for a third consecutive term, faces challenges after its recent reduction to a minority government. They have strategically appointed Nayab Saini, an OBC leader, as Chief Minister in a bid to consolidate support. The Congress, buoyed by its performance in the Lok Sabha elections, has gone all-out on freebies and job promises in its manifesto.
The Dalit vote, with 17 seats reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs), is crucial to all parties. This has led to significant alliances. The Chandrashekhar Azad-led Azad Samaj Party (ASP) has partnered with the Jananayak Janata Party (JJP), while the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has joined forces with the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD). These alliances pose a considerable challenge to both the BJP and Congress, potentially influencing the vote share in key constituencies.
A Sea of Promises:
The BJP’s manifesto, titled ‘Non-Stop Haryana Ka Sankalp Patra’, promises a monthly assistance of ₹2,100 to women, 2 lakh government jobs, 10 industrial towns, and full scholarships for SC and OBC students in government medical and engineering colleges. They also pledge to continue procuring 24 crops at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and provide cooking gas cylinders at a reduced price of ₹500 to poor families.
The Congress, echoing its recent promises in other state polls, has unveiled a manifesto packed with freebies. Their ‘seven guarantees’ include a monthly allowance of ₹2,000 for women aged 18 to 60, free electricity up to 300 units for all households, a legal guarantee for MSP for crops, and a state-wide caste survey. They also promise to implement the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for government employees, a pension of ₹6,000 to widows, senior citizens, and people with disabilities, and free medical treatment up to ₹25 lakh.
The AAP, led by Arvind Kejriwal, has pledged free electricity for domestic units, free medical treatment, free education, ₹1,000 per month to every woman in the state, and employment for every unemployed youth.
Alliances and Strategies:
The JJP-ASP alliance, targeting the Jat-Dalit votebase, promises a legal guarantee for MSP, assured minimum wages for farmers, 50% reservation for women in all teaching jobs, and a hike in the monthly honorarium of Anganwadi and ASHA workers.
The BSP-INLD coalition, aiming to leverage the same demographic, plans to address the backlog of SC/ST vacancies in government jobs, construct homes for SC/ST communities, provide free education and coaching, and increase old age pension to ₹7,500 per month.
Common Ground and Key Differences:
Most parties have offered common promises, such as free houses for SC/ST communities, subsidized gas cylinders, electricity, education, increased pensions for seniors, guaranteed MSP, and government jobs. Both the Congress and BJP have pledged monthly cash transfers to women and farmers. The Congress’s prominent promise is a caste survey, while the BJP has assured government jobs for Agniveers.
With 1,031 candidates in the fray, the election will hinge on OBC, Dalit, and Jat votes, potentially leading to a multi-cornered fight and complex post-poll alliances if the results are close on October 8th. This election will be a test of political strategies, promises, and the ability of parties to connect with the diverse needs of the electorate.
