New Delhi [India], October 8 : As the Bharatiya Janata Party is poised to form government in Haryana for third straight term, Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde called the results as "eye-opener" for the Congress party, whose hopes of making a comeback were dashed on Tuesday.
Criticising Congress party for its "caste and religion-based politics", the Shiv Sena leader said that people have entrusted Prime Minister Modi for the third time.
According to the latest update from the Election Commission of India, BJP has won 47 seats and is leading on one other seat, while the Congress party has won 36 seats and is leading on one more. This is the third consecutive victory in the state for BJP, which contested under the leadership of new Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.
The 90 seats of Haryana went to polls in a single phase on October 5.
"Haryana has proved to be an eye opener for the opposition and their caste and religion-based politics. With this agenda, they could not even win 100 seats in the Lok Sabha elections and PM Narendra Modi was entrusted for the third time. People have silently slapped Congress. Congress tried to spread their fake narrative in Haryana as well but the people have given their message to Congress and opposition parties," Shinde told reporters.
Meanwhile, despite dismal show by the Congress party, former Chief Minister and senior party leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda won by a margin of 71,465 votes from the Garhi Sampla-Kiloi constituency on Tuesday. He defeated Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Manju.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini thanked the people of Haryana after the BJP edged towards a hat-trick in the Haryana assembly.
Speaking to media persons, Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini said, "I want to thank the 2.80 crore people of Haryana for putting a stamp on the works of BJP for the third time. All this is only because of PM Modi. Under his leadership, we are moving forward. He spoke to me and gave his blessings."
"I had faith that the poor, farmers and the youth of Haryana would bless me," he said.
Former wrestler and Congress leader, Vinesh Phogat also emerged victorious from Julana assembly constituency in Haryana as she defeated BJP's Yogesh Kumar by a margin of 5761 votes.