Haryana Battleground: Fate of 223 Lok Sabha Candidates to be Sealed Today

The stage is set for a nail-biting finish in the electoral battle for Haryana's 10 Lok Sabha constituencies and the Karnal Assembly bypoll, as voters across the state prepare to cast their ballots today. The high-stakes polls have witnessed an intense campaign trail, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the principal opposition Indian National Congress (INC) locked in a direct contest in most seats. 

The outcome of these elections is expected to have far-reaching implications, as it is likely to set the tone for the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections, scheduled for October this year. With a total of 223 candidates vying for the 10 Lok Sabha seats and the Karnal Assembly seat, the fate of several prominent leaders hangs in the balance.

Among the key contenders are former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Union ministers Rao Inderjit Singh and Krishan Pal Gurjar from the BJP, and Congress heavyweights Kumari Selja and Deepender Hooda. The campaign trail witnessed an aggressive push from both parties, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah spearheading the BJP's charge, while Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Arvind Kejriwal rallied behind the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidates, respectively.

The BJP, which swept all 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana in 2019, is aiming for a repeat performance, while the Congress, banking on anti-incumbency sentiments, hopes to regain lost ground. The Lok Sabha results hold special significance as they will set the stage for the upcoming Assembly elections, where both parties will seek to capitalize on the momentum generated from these polls. 

Certain constituencies have emerged as the cynosure of all eyes, with Karnal being dubbed the "most-watched" seat, where Khattar is pitted against first-timer Divyanshu Budhiraja of the Congress. The former Chief Minister is also contesting a bypoll against Congress candidate Trilochan Singh in the Karnal Assembly segment. 

The battle for Rohtak has also garnered significant attention, with the BJP deploying its top leaders to campaign for sitting MP Arvind Sharma, while Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Hooda has focused on micro-management to reach out to voters. Other notable contests include the face-off between former Congress state chiefs Kumari Selja and Ashok Tanwar, who recently joined the BJP, in Sirsa, and the clash between Union ministers Rao Inderjit Singh and Krishan Pal Gurjar against their Congress counterparts in Gurugram and Faridabad, respectively.

As the high-stakes polls culminate today, all eyes will be on the outcome, which is expected to shape the political landscape of Haryana and potentially influence the strategies of major parties in the run-up to the Assembly elections later this year.