Chandigarh: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) registered a landslide victory in the Haryana civic polls on Wednesday, securing mayoral wins across nine key municipal corporations, including Ambala, Gurugram, Hisar, Karnal, Rohtak, Faridabad, Yamunanagar, Panipat, and Sonipat. The ruling party’s resounding success reaffirmed its stronghold in the state’s urban political landscape.
The primary opposition party, Congress, suffered a severe setback, failing to win a single mayoral seat. Even in Rohtak, a known bastion of veteran Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the party failed to register a victory.
This election was also significant as it marked the first time Congress contested the state civic polls using its party symbol. However, despite this move, the party was unable to make a significant impact.
Key Results
In Gurugram, BJP candidate Raj Rani secured a decisive victory with 270,781 votes, defeating Congress contender Seema Pahuja by a staggering margin of 179,485 votes. Similarly, in Faridabad, BJP’s Parveen Joshi emerged victorious with 416,927 votes.
Hisar saw BJP’s Parveen Popli winning by 64,456 votes, while in Rohtak, BJP’s Ram Avtar Valmiki clinched victory by a margin of 45,198 votes.
In Karnal, BJP’s Renu Bala dominated with 83,630 votes, defeating Congress candidate Manoj Wadhwa, who managed only 25,359 votes. Yamunanagar also witnessed BJP’s Suman securing the mayoral seat.
The BJP continued its dominance in Ambala, where Shailja Sachdeva won the mayoral by-election. In Sonipat, Rajiv Jain of the BJP secured 57,858 votes, and in Panipat, Konal Saini triumphed with 162,075 votes.
Independent Victory in Manesar
In a notable exception, independent candidate Inderjit Yadav emerged victorious in Manesar, defeating BJP’s Sundar Lal by a margin of 2,235 votes, proving that independent candidates still hold influence in certain pockets of the state.
Reactions to the Results
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini hailed the BJP’s victory, attributing it to the people’s trust in the party’s governance. “The people of Haryana have put their stamp of approval on the triple-engine government. I thank them from the bottom of my heart. Our local body government, along with the state and central leadership, will play a crucial role in fulfilling PM Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Viksit Bharat,’” Saini stated.
Meanwhile, Congress veteran Bhupinder Singh Hooda downplayed the impact of the results, saying, “The Congress must have gained in some areas, but I did not campaign actively during the elections. I don’t think these results will have an impact.”
BJP’s Continued Dominance
The BJP’s remarkable performance in these civic polls reinforces its growing electoral strength in Haryana, particularly in urban regions like Gurugram and Faridabad. The party made history in October 2024 by winning three consecutive terms in the state assembly elections, cementing its position as the dominant political force in Haryana.
With this latest victory, the BJP has demonstrated its ability to maintain strong voter support ahead of the upcoming general elections, further solidifying its governance in the state.