The results are out and they are surprising! The stunning victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Haryana in the recent State elections is nothing short of a miracle. Why? Because the State that had so far been driven by caste and identity, has finally voiced its opinion in favour of development and change. It was majorly Congress who would win seats in this State. This time too, it was hopeful to secure itself a seat in Haryana. With this major shift in opinions, the entire political dynamic is up for a twist.

 This is a significant success for reasons more than one. It’s an indication by the people that they are now even more aware, educated and know what they need. The traditional ways and promises don’t work anymore. With the changing times, the needs also change, on personal as well as on national level. For this reason, it is necessary to change the ways a region is governed. Progress is assured where people are heard.

Haryana and Its Former Political Scenario

For years, the State has seen the governance of the prominent party, the Indian National Congress (INC). Later, the regional party, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) also stepped into the game. While it was working fine, but with time, it lost its novelty. The Jats became a ruling community while the NJP was nowhere in the competition. It was rather seen as an outsider. With a stronghold in the State and on its people, the ruling parties fell into a comfort zone. There was a surety of winning a seat in the State always. Probably because of this reason, no new changes had been introduced in the governance of the State. People’s needs and awareness had been overlooked and underestimated.

The Rise of BJP in Haryana: A Shift in Voter Sentiment

The Congress had been in power, even at the National level ever since Independence. But the 2014 General Elections saw a historic turn of events. With Narendra Modi as the leader, the not so prominent party, the BJP, won at the Centre. The promises of development, upliftment and change won people’s hearts. This shift was also visible in the following Haryana State elections, where BJP bagged a clear majority under Manohar Lal Khattar. The BJP appealed strongly to the then cornered non-Jat voters. This was an iconic win as the State was finally doing away with the Caste based politics.

Manohar Lal Khattar’s governance wasn’t much liked initially. With time, he gained the public’s confidence and became known for orderly governance. During his tenure, various infrastructure and development projects were initiated. Slowly but gradually, his government sat well with the young and urban masses as well.

The 2024 State Elections

This year too, Haryana has seen the victory of BJP for a second consecutive term, with Nayab Singh Saini as the Chief Minister. This means that the Party’s previous win in the State was not a result of luck or chance. People have consciously chosen BJP for its progressive approach. This also means that the Party has been able to appeal to the respective people beyond their caste barriers and consolidate its position.

Key Contributing Factors to the Success

BJP has been able to achieve this by following a strong strategy. Firstly, its coalition with the regional and smaller parties that already had the support of the non-Jat voters proved to be beneficial. As a result, the Party was able to reach a wider voter population.

Secondly, it focussed more on development and growth projects rather than on following the same old norm of feeding on caste politics. This brought a fresh perspective and gained the support of the rising youth. The campaigns like Beti Padhao, Beti Bachao, Ayushman Bharat and efforts to improve roads and rails gained a lot of popularity.

Thirdly, the Party has always shown a strong repulsion for terrorism and violence. National security has been a priority and it has handled border issues quite well. This attracted the military base in Haryana.

Next, the Party’s progressive outlook was also visible in its social media outreach. Today, when everything is digitalised, the Party made the off-beat move. It became tech-savvy, interacting with the voters on social media, sent messages on WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook, and reached the youth and even those who were voting for the first time.

Lastly, one of the most crucial factors was the disrupted and internally conflicted opposition. Congress and INLD alike, previously amongst the major parties, faced some internal issues which worked in favour of BJP.  

BJP and The People

Now that the age-old methods have been done away with, a new age is on the rise with the victory of BJP in Haryana. It’s amazing how the Party that was once not paid much attention to in Haryana, now is governing the State. The shackles of caste are broken and progress is on the way. The new and well educated youth is aware of what it needs – health, education, opportunities, development. And all this is what the Party promises. This brings along a lot of pressure on the current State government to live upto the expectations and deliver what is promised. This includes providing ample job opportunities, a sum of Rs 2100 to women monthly, and a minimum support price on 24 crops, according to Business Standard .

Conclusion

The State is about to witness what it hasn’t seen before. It has been governed by old, narrow ways but now, it is moving towards progression. The broader take to reach the previously marginalised non-Jats has been revolutionary. This is so because Congress had ruled the State for a very long time. As a result, its position had become so strong that it could not be shaken. Yet, here we are.

Now, people are anticipating and are hungry for a change. The shift in voter behaviour has indicated that they now are done with the traditional ways and are ready for something new, something ground-breaking. In order to maintain its position hereafter, BJP must deliver what it has promised. While for Congress, it’s time to buckle up. Now Parties don’t win with just a community’s support. Instead, the agendas need to be updated with increasing awareness.

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