‘They want to stay in power for four more days’, opposition targets BJP over changing Haryana election date

The Election Commission on Saturday extended the date of Haryana assembly elections from October 1 to October 5. The commission said that this decision has been taken keeping in mind the centuries-old festival of the Bishnoi community. The counting of votes for Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana assembly elections will now take place on October 8 instead of October 4. BJP-INLD had also demanded the commission to change the date. At the same time, parties like Congress, JJP and AAP had objected to the change of date.

Now political rhetoric has also started regarding this decision of the commission. In this sequence, Congress leader Bhupendra Singh Hooda said that this is the right of the Election Commission, they have extended the date. They (BJP) have accepted defeat in Haryana. When the Haryana government had written a letter to the Election Commission, I had said at that time that the Election Commission should extend the date of the election.

Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini said, “I want to thank the Election Commission for their decision. Our state president Mohanlal Kaushik had written a letter to the Election Commission regarding a problem that there are consecutive holidays on September 29, 30 and October 1, 2. We expressed concern that this may affect the voting percentage. People may go on holidays or vacations. Other parties also expressed concern over this. I want to thank the Election Commission for considering this.”

On the decision to change the date, former Haryana Deputy Chief Minister and JJP leader Dushyant Chautala said, “We welcome this. This clearly shows that the BJP is adopting all these tactics to avoid its defeat. Changing the date will do nothing, because the public has made up its mind to defeat them.”

Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and AAP leader Manish Sisodia said, “Election Commission is captured by BJP. The countdown for BJP has started after the Lok Sabha elections and BJP will lose every election.”

Jammu and Kashmir Congress president Tariq Hameed Karra said, “Did the Election Commission not know at that time that there was a festival? They announce the final date after considering everything. They are making the elections suspicious.”

Former Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and BJP leader Kavinder Gupta said, “The reason given is that there will be a centuries-old festival of the Bishnoi community in Haryana and people can participate in it. Keeping this in mind, a good decision has been taken. We welcome this decision.”

AAP Haryana president Sushil Gupta said, “The BJP is scared. The people of Haryana have made up their mind to remove the corrupt BJP government from power. They want to remain in power for four more days. We are ready to contest elections on all the seats in Haryana.”

INLD leader and MLA Abhay Singh Chautala said, “I thank the Election Commission. Because there was a long holiday. During this time many people could have gone out, due to which 10 to 20 percent of voters could have been deprived of voting.”