New Delhi:
From rural Haryana's farmers to the corporate executives of Gurgaon, the country's richest state seems united in what it wants from its next government: development. The state registered a 40% turnout.
Gurgaon, the Millenium City that Haryana loves bragging about, brings the state nearly half its revenue. Its voters say they are owed some of that in the form of better roads and electricity.
The man looking to return as chief minister says he's willing, ready and able. At his breakfast table, where he ate greasy parathas before going to vote with his 90-year-old mother, Bhupinder Singh Hooda was upbeat: "Well, my political and general health is great so I can afford these extra calories." He's not exaggerating. The Congress did brilliantly in the general elections in May, winning 9 of the state's 10 Lok Sabha seats. That could be why Hooda called for state elections 7 months ahead of schedule.
The other political giant whose career is at stake here: former chief minister Om Prakash Chautala. His INLD (Indian National Lok Dal) ended its alliance with the BJP. The parties fought the Lok Sabha elections together with disastrous results: they didn't win a single seat.