CM Khattar to meet Haryana Governor; BJP sure of JJP support: Sources

As the battle for Haryana's 90-seat Assembly has come down to JJP's role on Thursday, sources have reported that BJP CM Manohar Lal Khattar will meet with Haryaan Governor to seek permission to form the government in the state. Sources have reported that BJP is confident of support of JJP as the halfway mark still eludes the saffron party. Khattar is set to meet the governor -Satyadev Narayan Arya at 6 PM to stake claim.

Poll trends in Haryana

Latest trends show BJP leading in 40 seats, shy of the halfway mark. Meanwhile, Congress leads in 30 seats and JJP in 10 seats. In detail, official EC trends show that BJP has won 28 seats and is leading in 12 seats. Meanwhile, the Congress has won 20 seats and is leading in 11 seats as per EC trends. The deciding factor - JJP has won 10 seats.

READ | Haryana Assembly Election Results LIVE: Khattar ready to stake claim 

Battle for Haryana

While BJP took an initial lead in the morning in Haryana, the battle heated up soon as Congress made great strides in the state. BJP which had announced its 'Mission 75+', has been reduced to mere 40 seats, eluding the magic number of 44. Congress too had been neck-to-neck with BJP, with Haryana chief Bhupinder Hooda on a mission to unite 'all parties together to oust BJP'. While JJP chief Dushyant Chautala has maintained that they will have a meeting to decide whom to side with, both BJP and Congress have been eyeing his support. Both parties have also approached the Independednt winners too in a bid to reach the halfway mark.

READ | Siddaramaiah calls Maharashtra, Haryana elections a 'setback for BJP'

Political scenario in Haryana

In Haryana,  the Congress was hoping to make a comeback following a change in guard in the state, while the BJP led by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had set a target of winning 75 seats out of 90 in which 1,169 candidates of various political outfits are contesting. Currently, the BJP has 48 members in the state assembly and had won all 10 Lok Sabha seats in the elections in May. The Dushyant Chautala-led Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), a breakaway faction of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) hoped to improve its stand in the state.

READ| Ashok Tanwar: 'Keys of Haryana Assembly doors with JJP & Chautala'

The BSP, AAP, INLD-SAD combine, Swaraj India and the Loktantra Suraksha Party (LSP) have thrown their hat into the ring, though none of them is fighting on all 90 seats. Prominent amongst those in the contest are Chief Minister Khattar (Karnal), former chief minister and Congress Legislative Party leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda (Garhi Sampla-Kiloi), Randeep Singh Surjewala (Kaithal), Kiran Choudhary (Tosham) and Kuldeep Bishnoi (Adampur) and JJP's Dushyant Chautala (Uchana Kalan).The BJP has fielded three sportspersons -- Babita Phogat (Dadri), Yogeshwar Dutt (Baroda in Sonipat) and Sandeep Singh (Pehowa) -- besides TikTok star Sonali Phogat (Adampur).