Haryana and Maharashtra assembly polls: BJP expects Amit Shah magic to work
New Delhi: The high-voltage campaign for the Assembly elections in Haryana and Maharashtra came to an end on Monday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrapped up his offensive against Congress and other rivals who gave back in equal measure.
All eyes are on BJP chief Amit Shah’s gamble to go alone in two crucial states, Haryana and Maharashtra. The BJP snapped its 25-year-old alliance with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra over seat-sharing formula and in Haryana it ended its alliance with Kuldeep Bishnoi’s HJC, which wanted to contest equal number of seats.
There are 288 assembly segments in Maharashtra while Haryana has 90. During the last Assembly elections, BJP had won 46 seats in Maharastra and has four members in the outgoing Assembly of Haryana.
While most of the opinion polls have predicted BJP emerging as the single largest party in both states, BJP’s internal assessment shows in Haryana, the powerful Jat community is preferring Om Prakash Chautala’s INLD.
Also, a multi-cornered fight and factionalism might hurt the saffron party’s poll prospects in Haryana, where opposition has accused it of “borrowing leaders” from other parties.
However, BJP’s assessment has shown that leadership decision to go solo has boosted its poll prospects as well as charged its cadre. But party’s poll managers are still keeping their fingers crossed as final picture will start emerging only after votes are cast.
In both the states, party’s poll managers are also heavily banking on star campaigner, PM Narendra Modi’s charisma, who had addressed more than 30 rallies in both states. BJP leadership also refrained from projecting any face, apprehending it could give rise to factionalism, especially in Haryana where there are many aspirants for the chief minister’s post.
In Maharashtra, BJP’s stakes are high especially after its split with Shiv Sena. The party had deputed its senior leaders to coordinate with workers. BJP’s central leaders including the PM, Mr Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari among others addressed more than 700 ralloies in both the states.
