New Delhi: Polling for the 90-member legislative Assembly in the BJP-ruled Haryana began on Saturday, with 2.03 crore voters set to decide the fate of 1,031 candidates. Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a heartfelt appeal for record voter turnout.

“Voting is taking place today for the Haryana Assembly elections. I appeal to all voters to be a part of this holy festival of democracy and set a new record of voting. On this occasion, my special best wishes to all the young friends of the state who are going to vote for the first time,” he wrote on X. 

First vote, then have breakfast, appealed Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who campaigned aggressively to ensure the record third straight win of the BJP in the state.

“Your one vote will work to keep Haryana free from ‘kharchi, parchi’ (the alleged system of favouritism and corruption for recruitment under Congress governments)… I urge all my sisters and brothers to vote to maintain the pace of development… Only a government with a track record of development and good governance, and not one making false promises, can bring welfare to Haryana,” he added.

A total of 20,632 booths have been set up across the state for the election and the polling will continue till 6 P.M. amid tight security arrangements, officials said, adding that there has been no report of any delay in starting the poll process.

In rural areas of the state, electors were seen reaching polling stations even before voting started at 7 am.  

The contest is likely to be a bipolar one between traditional arch-rivals -- the state's ruling BJP, which is banking on a third-successive stint with its "double-engine" government despite internal rebellions, and the principal Opposition Congress, which is eyeing to dethrone it, citing "existing resentment" among crucial sections like farmers, government employees, unemployed youth, and wrestlers.

While both the BJP and the Congress are contesting on 89 seats, political observers told IANS that the presence of candidates of the Aam Aadmi Party, the state's once-prominent Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) which is contesting in alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party, and the INLD’s breakaway faction Jannayak Janta Party, which is in the fray with the Azad Samaj Party, besides some BJP rebels who are fighting as Independents, have made the contest triangular or multi-corned on a few seats.

Chief Electoral Officer Pankaj Agarwal said every vote counts and people should actively participate in this festival of democracy by exercising their franchise.

He said 2.03 crore voters, including 1.07 crore men, 95,77,926 women and 467 third-gender voters would cast votes.

IANS