 "Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Bhupinder")
Nuh: Congress leader and former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda during a public meeting ‘Vijay Sankalp Jansabha’ ahead of the Haryana Assembly elections, in Nuh district, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (Photo: PTI)
Data on the Election Commission’s website showed Congress ahead in Radaur, Ratia, Badli, Beri, Nuh, Hodal, Palwal, and Thanesar, among other constituencies. Meanwhile, BJP was leading in Mulana, Ladwa, Panipat City, Jind, Nalwa, Bhiwani, Ateli, Pataudi, and Faridabad, according to the 9:30 am trends.
If Congress wins, Hooda may emerge as the chief ministerial candidate in Haryana. Notably, senior Congress leaders Kumari Selja and Randeep Surjewala have also expressed interest in the role. However, Hooda remarked that the contest is a positive sign: “It is a good thing. If you do not have ambition in politics, then your politics will become stagnant. More claimants mean more strength for us (Congress),” he said earlier.
Ladwa is the constituency of BJP Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, who hopes to return as the head of government. He dismissed exit poll predictions on Saturday, asserting that BJP would win a third term.
Other key battles in Haryana include Julana, where Olympian wrestler Vinesh Phogat is leading; Karnal, where Manohar Lal Khattar’s aide Jagmohan Anand is ahead; and Ratia, where former BJP minister Ranjit Chautala is trailing. Hisar, Tosham, and Badli Kaithal are other key seats.
First Published: Oct 08 2024 | 10:40 AM IST
