Haryana Assembly Elections 2024: Unemployment, farmers' demand for a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) , Agnipath (Agniveer) scheme, and law and order are the major issues in the Haryana assembly elections . This time a multi-cornered contest is being seen in Haryana. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state faces a tough challenge from the anti-incumbency wave and the opposition Congress .

Other parties in the fray include Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) , Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) , Azad Samaj Party, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD ) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) . AAP is contesting the elections in the entire state on its own. While JJP is contesting the polls in alliance with Azad Samaj Party and INLD is contesting in alliance with Mayawati's party. Congress has targeted BJP's 10-year rule in Haryana and alleged that the unemployment rate in the state is the 'highest' in the country.

Unemployment is a major issue

During the election campaign, the Congress leader raised the issue of unemployment. He is claiming that the BJP government has failed to fill two lakh vacant posts in various departments. He has also targeted the BJP government for hiring people on contract through Haryana Kaushal Rojgar Nigam.

Senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda claimed that during the previous Congress government, Haryana was number one in the country in per capita income, per capita investment, job creation, law and order, and sports activities. "After 10 years, today Haryana is number one in unemployment and inflation, while crime has also increased," he alleged while talking to PTI.

Former Chief Minister Hooda said, “The BJP, which has made Haryana number one in unemployment, has itself admitted in its manifesto that how many posts are lying vacant in government departments by talking about giving two lakh government jobs.”

He said, "The BJP, which sells LPG cylinders to housewives for Rs 1,100-1,200, is now imitating the Congress after seeing its defeat in the upcoming elections. That is why it is promising to give gas cylinders for Rs 500." He also said that the BJP can never be in favor of giving rights and participation to Dalits and backward classes.

What does the public say?

Rakma, 60, who runs a small tea stall on the Kurukshetra-Kaithal highway, told PTI that people have got jobs based on merit under the BJP-led government in the state. "Unemployment is an issue, but we have to appreciate that people who have got jobs have got it purely based on their merit," said Rakma, a resident of Thana village in Pehowa in Kurukshetra district.

Besides, Sunil Kumar, a local resident of Kaithal, said that unemployment was a big issue in the Haryana elections. He said, “My son is a graduate and has been looking for a job for a year, but he has not got a job yet. I know that nowadays many youths want to go abroad for better opportunities. If better opportunities are available here, why would they want to go away from their families.”

BJP's focus is on jobs

The saffron party, which is facing criticism from opposition parties on the issue of unemployment, has promised that two lakh government jobs will be given to the youth without kharchi-parchi (corruption and favoritism). The BJP has also targeted the Congress on the Dalit issue. Chief Minister Naib Singh Saini said that the Congress is an anti-Dalit party. There is no need to remind the Dalits of Haryana how dangerous and violent Hooda's rule was for them.

Saini also alleged that the Congress has humiliated and despised everyone from BR Ambedkar to Dalit women leaders. He was clearly referring to Kumari Selja, who has been keeping a distance from the Congress' election campaign.

During the election campaign, the Chief Minister and some other BJP leaders also targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on the issue of reservation. Gandhi had recently said during an interaction with students at Georgetown University in America that the Congress would think about ending reservation only when everyone in the country starts getting equal opportunities and at present such a situation does not exist in India.

There is also a discussion on MSP

The ongoing farmers' protest at the Shambhu and Khanauri border between Punjab and Haryana for guaranteed MSP for crops is also in the headlines given the state assembly elections. Hooda had said this week that if his party comes to power in the Haryana assembly elections, it will open the Shambhu border for farmers. Farmers under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are leading the 'Dilli Chalo' march to pressure the government to accept their various demands.

The protesting farmers have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after security forces stopped their march. The Congress has already promised a legal guarantee for MSP if it comes to power. While the BJP has promised to buy 24 crops at MSP.

The BJP government in Haryana is already procuring 14 crops at MSP (minimum support price) . After the announcement of Chief Minister Saini last month, the state cabinet had approved the proposal to purchase 10 more crops at MSP.

Congress criticized Agnipath, BJP gave a ja ob guarantee.

The Congress is also criticizing the Centre's Agneepath scheme for military recruitment. However, the BJP has assured that every Agniveer (army soldier) coming from Haryana will be guaranteed a government job. Opposition parties have also raised the issue of allegedly deteriorating law and order and the threat of drugs. Voting for the 90-member Haryana Assembly will be held on October 5. While the counting of votes will take place on October 8.