As Haryana gears up for its Vidhan Sabha elections on October 5, political parties are focusing their campaigns on key voter demographics—women, farmers, and the unemployed. These groups are expected to play a pivotal role in determining the outcome, with political outfits trying to woo them with promises and freebies. Both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its main rival, the Congress, have unveiled their manifestos, making competitive promises to sway voters. The contest is largely between these two parties, although smaller players such as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), and the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) also seek to carve out electoral space. The Congress, which is seeking to reclaim power after a decade of BJP rule, released its manifesto on September 18, followed by the BJP a day later. Both manifestos are laden with a range of populist promises aimed at different sections of society, revealing the high-stakes nature of the contest.

Congress, under the leadership of Mallikarjun Kharge, has promised a monthly allowance of ₹2,000 for women aged 18 to 60, 300 units of free electricity for households, and a legal guarantee for minimum support prices (MSP) for crops—a key demand of farmers, many of whom feel betrayed by the BJP government. The party has also pledged to conduct a caste census, a move likely aimed at garnering support from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) community. In addition, the Congress has promised to reinstate the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for government employees, free medical treatment up to ₹25 lakh, and ₹500 gas cylinders. Meanwhile, the BJP has responded with promises of its own, offering ₹2,100 per month to women, as well as two lakh government jobs and full scholarships for Scheduled Caste (SC) and OBC students at government medical and engineering colleges. The BJP’s manifesto also pledges a metro network connecting Gurugram and Faridabad, a safari park in the Aravallis to boost tourism, and five lakh homes for urban and rural areas. President JP Nadda, while launching the BJP’s “Non-Stop Haryana Ka Sankalp Patra,” asserted that the party would continue to procure 24 crops under MSP and provide ₹500 cooking gas cylinders to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. Nadda was quick to dismiss Congress’ manifesto, calling it irrelevant, while emphasizing that the BJP would deliver on its promises. AAP, which initially sought to contest independently, later entered seat-sharing talks with Congress.

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Smaller players, such as JJP and INLD, are also in the mix. JJP, led by Dushyant Chautala, has pledged a loan waiver for farmers, a ₹25,000 per acre compensation for crop damage, and 50% reservation for women in teaching jobs. The INLD-BSP alliance, for its part, has promised a separate capital for Haryana, ₹7,500 old-age pension, and government jobs for educated youths. Despite the deluge of promises, many voters remain undecided, with the prevailing sentiment appearing to lean toward the Congress, while the BJP grapples with growing anti-incumbency. Though the smaller parties may not be poised for significant victories, they could still play a crucial role in forming coalitions if the elections produce a hung assembly. Ultimately, the fate of Haryana’s political landscape will hinge on which party can better connect with these critical voter blocs—women, farmers, and the unemployed.