Hooda, Selja, Surjewala—who'll be CM if exit polls are correct
Exit poll results from the Haryana Assembly elections indicate a clear advantage for the Congress, triggering a flurry of activity ahead of the final results on Tuesday. The exit polls, released Saturday evening, forecast 50-55 seats for the Congress and 20-25 seats for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in the 90-seat assembly, where the majority mark is 46. If these predictions hold, it would significantly bolster the Congress's position, especially after years of challenges since Narendra Modi became Prime Minister.
Congress faces leadership decision amid infighting
However, a victory could also be a challenge for the Congress, given infighting in its state unit. The party will have to decide on the chief ministership, with several strong contenders having emerged during its decade-long break from power. Among them is Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who served as Haryana's CM from 2005 to 2014, and is considered a natural choice for the party.
Other potential contenders for Haryana's CM post
Other possible candidates are Kumari Selja, a Lok Sabha MP and Dalit leader who has been the president of the Haryana Congress. National spokesperson and key Haryana Congress leader Randeep Surjewala is also in the race for the chief minister's post. Further, Udai Bhan, a known Hooda loyalist and state Congress chief, could be in the fray with Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda if his father Bhupinder doesn't take the post.
BJP's potential chief minister candidates
On the BJP side, current Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini is a top contender for the post if the party wins against exit poll predictions. Other potential candidates include senior BJP leader and former Home Minister Anil Vij, who has expressed interest in the chief minister's position. It is important to note that exit polls in India are projections based on voter surveys conducted after polling and may not always reflect the final results accurately.
