Congress Predicted to Sweep Haryana as Tikait Foresees BJP Defeat

Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait predicts BJP defeat in Haryana assembly elections, citing repercussions for past actions against farmers. Exit polls favor Congress, projecting a major victory with over half of assembly seats. Voter turnout reaches 65.65%, exceeding previous records.

On the eve of Haryana's assembly election results, prominent farmer leader Rakesh Tikait voiced his prediction that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would face defeat. Tikait attributed this anticipated outcome to the government's past actions of lathi-charging farmers, suggesting that such measures would ultimately lead to their downfall. 'The government which does lathicharge, will not stay in power,' Tikait remarked, emphasizing that while farmers cannot retaliate against police physically, they will express their dissent at the ballot box.

This statement comes in the wake of exit polls forecasting a significant victory for the Congress party in Haryana. Polls indicate that Congress could secure more than 50 of the 90 assembly seats, with projections from TV-Today C voter estimating a range of 50-58 seats for Congress, while the BJP is projected to win 20-28 seats. Other parties might capture between 10-16 seats. A minimum of 46 seats is required to form a majority government in the legislative assembly.

Various surveys and polls, including those from Republic TV-Matrize and Dainik Bhaskar, suggest a consistent trend towards a Congress victory with estimates placing their win between 44 to 64 seats. The recent election recorded a voter turnout of 65.65%, surpassing the Lok Sabha 2024 turnout in Haryana. According to the Election Commission of India, the voting process concluded peacefully across more than 20,000 polling stations.

(With inputs from agencies.)