BJP-Sena retains power in Maharashtra, assembly hung in Haryana
The BJP-Shiv Sena alliance has come back in Maharashtra to begin second innings with more seats and vote shares than the previous assembly elections held five years ago. The ruling BJP however could not gain the magic number in the 90 –member Haryana legislative assembly. It faced tough contest from the INC.While BJP has got 40 seats losing seven ministers, Congress bagged 30 seats.BJP high command is however confident of forming government in the northern state close to Delhi. Prolonged agrarian crisis, unemployment problem and slow economic growth seem to have affected the voters in the two states. These issues were highlighted by the opposition while the NDA tried to convince them about nationalistic issues like abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir. As one political analyst says: The fact that BJP’s ‘muscular’ policy towards Pakistan did not cut much ice with the voters in Haryana which sends one member out of three in each family to the nation’s armed forces makes it clear that the slowdown has had its impact. The BJP and Shiv Sena got nearly 160 in the 288-seat Maharashtra Assembly. The BJP’s performance was much muted compared to that in 2014. Leads show the BJP was ahead in approximately 100 seats, way below the 122 it got in 2014. The Sena was ahead in 64, one more than the 63 it got last term when it contested all 288 seats on its own.
The Shiv Sena has demanded ’50:50 formula’ deal with the BJP. Leader Sanjay Raut said the combine would definitely form the government, but would want a ’50:50′ arrangement in power. The Congress-Nationalist Congress Party combine were ahead in nearly 100 seats, having gained more than 17 since last time. The NCP has emerged the big brother in the alliance. The post of the Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly with Cabinet rank and perks is assured for the NCP.In Haryana, the BJP’s tally has fallen short of the magic figure of 46 in the 90-seat Assembly. State BJP chief Subhash Barnala offered to resign after the party tally got stuck to 39.The Congress has managed 32 so far, up 17 seats since last time. Dushyant Chautala’s Jannayak Janata Party has emerged the kingmaker in the assembly. It is learnt the Congress has already reached out to Chautala to form an alliance. The Congress, which ran a feeble campaign and was wracked by infighting, has done far better than predicted.“The way these trends are showing, it is clear people voted for change,” Chautala told NDTV, adding, “The keys to the next government will be in the hands of the JJP.”Dushyant Chautala was, however, noncommittal whether his party would support the BJP or the Congress in forming a government. In Maharashtra, the BJP contested 150 seats, the Shiv Sena 124 and the rest went to smaller parties. Meanwhile, Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee President Kumari Selja said Congress will form government in the state. She tore into the Manohar Lal Khattar-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state. She said that the state will not tolerate BJP’s misgovernance anymore and will embrace a “new dawn of justice and equality under the leadership of Congress.” “Haryana has given the verdict- it will not tolerate @BJP4Haryana’s misgovernance anymore. Choosing to leave behind the maladies inflicted on its people in last 5years,the state is ready to embrace a new dawn of justice &equality under the leadership of
