CM Hooda confident, and so is BJP

The BJP, which could only manage to win four seats in the 2009 Assembly elections, is dreaming big this time in Haryana. The party that failed to find a suitable face for the chief minister's post is now flexing its muscles on the "Modi wave".

The Lok Sabha polls saw the BJP's votebank rise to 34.6 per cent, as compared to 17.21 per cent in 2009. That's why the BJP has decided to contest elections in Modi's name. Even if the Modi wave should strike a chord with voters, the Haryana polls will be anything but easy for the BJP. For one, the pitch of Assembly elections is different from general elections, where local factors matter.

Secondly, while the Congress is playing the "development card", the BJP has nothing to claim as an achievement in the state except the promise of a "clean and transparent government".

In fact, chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has become so confident of his chances that he is claiming that his Haryana model is actually better than Gujarat's in terms of social security pensions. In case the voters don't believe him, Hooda has also taken the precaution of doling out sops galore. Be it social security pensions for the elderly or sugarcane support price for farmers, which is one of the highest in the country, Hooda is taking no chances.

The BJP, however, is rebutting Hooda's confident claims of victory. "The announcements made by him (Hooda) hold no meaning as they have been made to influence voters. People will vote against corruption and for overall development promised by our party. We are confident of getting a two-thirds majority and will form the next government on our own," said Haryana BJP chief Rambilas Sharma.

Ticket distribution is another issue which has troubled the saffron party, sparking dissidence in many constituencies. This has come as a big blow to a party that has so far presented a united face to voters.

To make matters worse, dissidents who were denied tickets can pose a serious threat to the party in the polls. Passions are running high on this issue with some people in the party even accusing senior state BJP leaders of "selling tickets". Protests have been witnessed in over six constituencies, where even effigies of Amit Shah and state unit president Rambilas Sharma have been burnt by party workers.

Senior party leader Jaivir Godara, who contested the previous elections but was denied a ticket this time, has written a letter to Prime Minister Modi demanding a "CBI probe into ticket distribution".

Besides the lack of development and the dissidence, another challenge before the party is the INLD-SAD alliance. The BJP has failed to stop the Badals from supporting the Chautalas, both of whom have joined hands to contest elections against the party, even as it has exhibited an inclination towards the INLD after its break-up with the Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC). This is because the INLD, at the moment, is poses a grave threat to the party as it is at number two.

Currently, the BJP, with its voteshare of 35 per cent, is the leading political party in the state, while INLD, with 24 per cent voteshare is second and Congress (22.9 per cent) third. Clearly, it is now anyone's game in the run-up to the elections in the state.