Gurugram: Congress candidate Aftab Ahmed, deputy leader of the opposition in the outgoing Haryana assembly, has won by a margin of 46,963 votes in Nuh constituency.
While Ahmed has polled 91,833 votes, INLD’s Tahir Hussain Hussain 44,870 votes, and BJP’s Sanjay Singh 15,902 votes.
Congress leader Ahmed is the sitting MLA and has held the seat previously too.
Nuh drew attention because Haryana’s ruling BJP is seen to have fielded Singh, the sitting MLA from neighbouring Sohna, in an apparent bid to polarise votes in the constituency that saw violence last year during a Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) yatra.
Nuh, part of the Mewat region in Haryana, had witnessed communal violence in July, which significantly impacted the socio-political environment ahead of the Haryana elections.
The unrest erupted during a religious procession, Braj Mandal Jal Abhishek Yatra of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), leading to clashes between local communities. The violence resulted in at least six deaths, property damage and a heightened sense of insecurity among the residents.
Following the clashes, the Haryana government responded with strict police action, including curfews, detentions and arrests. The region saw heavy deployment of paramilitary forces to restore order, and several individuals were charged under the National Security Act (NSA) for their involvement.
The state’s response, however, drew criticism from various quarters, with accusations of selective targeting of the Muslim community and heavy-handed tactics like razing of properties with bulldozers. The violence also led to increased polarisation between Hindu and Muslim populations in the area.
The Nuh district, predominantly Muslim, registered a higher voter turnout this election, indicating a possible consolidation of votes.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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