Cong storms back to power in Haryana

Indian Congress Party workers burn crackers as they herald their party's victory outside its headquarters, in New Delhi yesterday. India's Congress Party was tipped to win or become a coalition partner in two state assemblies following elections this month, bolstering its standing as leader of the federal coalition government. PHOTO: AFP

But Bihar, where charismatic politician Lalu Prasad's ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal suffered major losses, and adjacent Jharkhand states are set for coalition governments with no party securing majority on its own.

Congress, led by 58-year-old Italy-born Sonia Gandhi, bagged 67 of the total of 90 seats in Haryana state legislature dethroning ruling Indian National Lok Dal, headed by outgoing Chief Minister and Jat leader Om Prakash Chautala, which ended up with just 10 seats. The BJP could manage just two seats, as counting of votes were completed this afternoon.

Veteran Haryana Congress leader Bhajan Lal, has staked claim to the post of Chief Minister but he may face tough competition from some other senior or younger leaders in the party's state unit.

Bhajan Lal is the only active and second surviving of the famous Lal's in Haryana politics who along with late Devi Lal and aged Bansi Lal formed the Jat triumvirate in the state.

While election to legislatures in Haryana was held on February 3 the polling in Bihar, which has a 243-member assembly and Jharkhand with a 81-member assembly, were held in a phases beginning on February 3 and ending on February 23.

The biggest story is however that of the outcome in Bihar where BJP and its ally Janata Dal (United) were poised almost neck and neck with RJD which lost majority of its own this time and is critically dependent on others if it wants to form the government. Lalu has ruled Bihar for the last 15 years at a stretch.

The RJD was pitted against a strong anti-incumbency factor and much of the benefit has gone to Paswan's party and BJP-JD (U). However, Laluy's party is set to emerge as the single largest party.

The biggest gainer in the state is Federal Steel Minister Ram Vilas Paswan whose Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) emerged as the principal king-maker whose support is crucial to a coalition government formation after it won a sizable number of seats.

RJD, LJP and Congress are constituents of India's ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) but they fought with each other in Bihar. It is nothing unusual in Indian politics that coalition partners at the national level fight for political turn in states.It remains what stand is taken by Paswan, who fought on a die-hard anti-RJD and anti-Lalu plank and even today refused to either give or take support from either RJD or BJP, in future government-formation in Bihar.

Smaller parties, including the Left, regional groups and independents, are the third largest entity in the tally of seats after BJP-JD(U) and RJD and will have a crucial say which party or group of parties come to power in Bihar, given the kind of fractured electoral mandate..

In Jharkhand, ruling BJP has failed to get majority on its own but is poised to finish slightly ahead of Congress and pre-poll ally and tribal regional party Jharkhand Mukti Morcha.

But the support of RJD, having won some seats, and smaller parties and independents hold the key to government formation in tribal-dominated Jharkhand, a state which was carved out of Bihar.