People have given a mandate to the BJP in Haryana for a third consecutive term on Prime Minister Narendra Modi government’s policies, achievements and way of functioning, and rejected the Congress and its “lies”, Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar said on Tuesday.
The BJP is set to return to power in Haryana for the third consecutive term, having won 48 seats in the 90-member assembly.
“The Congress was continuously lying and spreading confusion. But people have rejected what the Congress was saying and appreciated the BJP,” Khattar told reporters.
“People have sent out a message. The Modi government’s policies, achievements and way of functioning were leaving an impact on the people. Responding to this, people have given the mandate to the BJP for a third consecutive term,” he added.
People have approved the 10-year tenure of the BJP in Haryana, Khattar said, when asked if the poll results were the people’s approval of his nine-year tenure as the Haryana chief minister.
“In all, people have put a seal of approval on the BJP’s policies, the work of our leaders and our intentions,” he added.
After an over nine-year stint, the veteran BJP leader was removed as the Haryana chief minister and replaced by Nayab Singh Saini in March this year ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
Khattar said this is the first time that any party is going to form its government in Haryana for a third term.
“It is a record in itself. No other party has ever been able to form its government in Haryana for a third time,” he said and gave the credit for this to the people of the state and BJP workers.
On the Congress raising the issue of wrestlers, farmers and soldiers during its poll campaign, Khattar said people have rejected the opposition party’s lies.
“The Congress cannot do as much for the farmers, soldiers and wrestlers of Haryana as we have done. And it was known to everyone,” he said.
People of Haryana and the democracy in the state are “extremely mature”, Khattar added.
On the Congress’ claim during the poll campaign that it had the support of 36 ‘biradari’ (Jats) in Haryana, the BJP leader said, “When we contested elections in 2014, I had given the slogan of ‘One Haryana’. I always considered the people of Haryana my family.”
“Still today, our chief minister (Nayab Singh Saini) has been working in the same manner for the people of Haryana with all humility,” he added.
On the Congress’ allegation of an “unexplained slowdown” in the updation of results of the Haryana polls during the counting of votes, Khattar said that such a reaction was expected from the opposition party.
Haryana Chief Minister Saini had said already that the Congress would start saying that “the EVMs are faulty” on facing defeat, he added.
Replying to media queries, Khattar also asked pollsters, psephologists and the organisations who had projected the BJP’s defeat in Haryana to “introspect”.
“People don’t share with everyone what is going on in their minds. All such poll forecasts have failed in the past and failed this time again,” he added.
Earlier in the day when the BJP appeared to be crossing the halfway mark during counting of votes, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the BJP’s in-charge for Haryana, and other leaders met Khattar at his residence here.
The BJP’s return to power in Haryana may come as a shot in its arm as it will demolish the common perception that the party was going downhill with its government facing strong anti-incumbency in the state.
It will also further boost the confidence of the BJP rank and file as the party achieved a simple majority in the 90-member Haryana assembly on its own.
In the 2019 Haryana assembly polls, the BJP won 40 seats, securing 36.49 per cent vote share, and formed its government forging a post-poll alliance with the Dushyant Choutala-led Jannayak Janata Party (JJP).
