Assembly Elections 2019: Hung Verdict In Haryana; BJP- Shiv Sena Set To Retain Power In Maharashtra

The outcome of the Assembly polls in Haryana held on October 21 is a setback for the BJP, which had won 47 seats in the last state elections in 2014.

State Assembly Elections (Getty Image)

New Delhi: Haryana was all set for a hung Assembly  with no major political party appearing in a position to cross the halfway mark in the 90-member House in the recently concluded state elections held on October 21. However  in Maharashtra, the BJP-Shiv Sena combined was comfortably placed above the majority mark to form the government for the second successive time. According to the latest trends available with the Election Commission, the ruling BJP won 15 seats and was leading in 23 other constituencies in Haryana, still 8 short of the majority figures. Close on the heels was Congress, winning 12 seats and leading in 21. Newcomer Jannayak Janata Dal (JJP) was victorious in 5 constituencies and was ahead in 5 others, making it a possible kingmaker, along with 6 Independents, one of whom won and 5 were leading. Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), which ruled the state for four times in nthe past, was leading in merely 1 seat. The outcome of the Assembly polls held on October 21 is a setback for the BJP, which had won 47 seats in the last state elections in 2014. The party had been expressing confidence about raising its tally beyond 75 this time, using the nationalist pitch of abolition of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and the Balakot air strike. The results and the trends come as a shocker for the saffron party, particularly since it had won all the 10 seats in the Lok Sabha elections held just five months back. The BJP had formed the government in Haryana for the first time in 2014, when it improved its tally from 4 in the previous elections. The Congress, on the other hand, improved its performance substantially in this Assembly elections as it had managed only 15 seats the last time and had failed to open its account in the April-May Lok Sabha elections. The INLD, which ruled the state the last time from 2000 to 2004, stood second with 19 seats in the last Assembly elections and was the main Opposition party in the outgoing House. JJP was formed in December last year after Dushyant Chautala, the grandson of four-time Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, split from INLD following a bitter fight in the family. The Congress has already begun efforts to woo JJP leader Dushyant Chautala but he has refused to spell out his future course of action, saying it will be decided after the party's meeting on Friday. In Maharashtra, where 288 seats are at stake, the BJP won 35 seats and was leading in 66 while its ally Shiv Sena bagged 24 seats and was ahead in 34 constituencies, taking their combined lead tally to 159, 15 more than the half way mark. From the Opposition camp, the Congress won 16 seats and was leading in 29 while its alliance partner Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) won 18 seats and was leading in 35 seats. Going by the results and trends in Maharashtra, the BJP's tally is lesser by 22 seats compared to its performance in the last Assembly elections held in 2014. Shiv Sena had won 63 seats last time. The NCP appears to have improved its performance significantly as it had got 41 seats in the last Assembly elections, while the Congress had managed 42 seats.