Assembly polls: Dalit votes can be a ‘game-changer’ in Hry with political parties actively seeking their support

Chandigarh: A day after BJP stalwart and Union minister for Housing and urban affairs Manohar Lal Khattar organised the Dalit Samman Swabhiman Samaroh in Kurukshetra, Haryana’s Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) and Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) announced that they will contest the upcoming elections together. It seems all leading political parties in the state are eyeing Dalit votes.

With Dalits representing a sizeable 21 per cent of the population, an alliance with the Bhim Army might guarantee substantial seats in Dalit-dominant constituencies.

Former Deputy Chief Minister of Haryana Dushyant Chautala and ASP chief and MP Chandrashekhar Azad on Tuesday jointly announced that the JJP will contest 70 seats and the ASP 20 seats in a joint press conference held in Delhi.

Both youth leaders, Dushyant Chautala and Chandrashekhar Azad, said that this alliance will advance Haryana. They stated that they will fight for the poor, farmers, and working class, and realise the dreams of Jananayak Chaudhary Devi Lal and Manvendra Kanshiram.

Dushyant Chautala said that JJP and ASP have laid the foundation to take Haryana forward through this alliance. He mentioned that both organisations will contest 90 seats and aim to win. Chautala said that this alliance will bring together 36 communities and form a youth government in Haryana to strengthen all sections, including the poor, farmers, working class, and women.

Chautala also stated that he and Chandrashekhar Azad, both 36 years old, will work for Haryana for the next 40-50 years.

Meanwhile, Union minister for Housing and urban affairs Manohar Lal Khattar addressed the Dalit Samman Swabhiman Samaroh in Kurukshetra on Monday. It was organised by Dalit community leaders. While the parties are busy wooing Dalit votes, the Chief Minister of Haryana also addressed a rally in Tosham, which is the constituency of Kiran Chaudhry. Chaudhry was declared elected unopposed from the Rajya Sabha by-poll in Haryana. The Jats constitute 26 per cent of Haryana’s vote.

In the last state Assembly elections held in 2019, JJP was the logroller as it won 10 seats due to a hung house. Chautala then sealed an alliance with the BJP and was appointed as Deputy Chief Minister with several key portfolios. Currently, seven of the 10 JJP MLAs have deserted the party. The turn of events reflect on the Dalit votes to be crucial in the upcoming Assembly elections of Haryana.