Haryana polls: BJP inching towards a majority

CHANDIGARH: BJP, which tested electoral waters on its own for the first time in Haryana, is moving towards wresting power from Congress in the state where dynastic politics seems to have suffered a jolt.

As per trends available till 10 AM, BJP is leading on 32 seats followed by 12 by INLD, Congress 7, BSP one, Haryana Lokhit Party (HLP) one and INLD's ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) one and Independents 6.

As per initial rounds of counting of votes for the 90-member assembly, all is not well with the bigwig political parties in the state. Jailed INLD supremo Om Parkash Chautala's family members are trailing on their seats. Besides, former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal's family members too are fairing poorly as per initial trends.

INLD Secretary General and Chautala's younger son Abhay Chautala is trailing in his traditional bastion Ellenabad from Pawan Beniwal of BJP.

MP Dushyanat Chautala is trailing behind BJP leader Birender Singh's wife Prem Lata (BJP) in Uchana Kalan.

Chautala's elder son Ajay Singh, who too is in jail after his conviction in teachers recruitment scandal, has put his bet on his wife Naina from Dabwali. However, Naina is way behind Kamalvir Singh (Cong) and Dev Kumar (BJP).

Former union minister Venod Sharma, who after serving Congress for four decades, floated Jan Chetna Party (JCP), is far behind his nearest rivals Himmat Singh (Cong) and Aseem Goel (BJP) from his traditional Ambala city seat.

INLD's Haryana President Ashok Arora seeking re-election from his traditional Thanesar seat is trailing from Subash Sudha of BJP.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, seeking a third term and fighting a strong anti-incumbency, is ahead of his rivals in his Garhi-Sampla-Kiloi seat.

Union Minister Sushma Swaraj's sister Vandana Sharma, a political greenhorn, is ahead over her Congress rival from Safidon seat.

Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) supremo Kuldeep Bishnoi (Adampur), his wife Renuka (Hansi) and his elder brother Chander Mohan (Nalwa) are trailing in their respective constituencies as per trends available.

During the 2009 Assembly elections Congress had won 40 seats, INLD 31, BJP four, HJC-BL six, SAD and BSP one each and Independents seven.