HARYANA HEAT UP

Amid farmers' protest against Centre, Cong trying to WOO Jats

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JATS comprising around 28 per cent of Haryana population have traditionally played a dominant role for decades in the caste-centric politics of the state. They have significant impact on at least four Lok Sabha seats - Sirsa, Hisar, Rohtak and Sonipat out of the 10 constituencies in the state, which will go to polls in the sixth phase on May 25.

Most Jats have been up against BJP- led Centre over the farmers' protest and the wrestlers' agitation. BJP and Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) candidates are facing farmers' ire across the state. The ruling BJP is pinning its hope on the non-Jat social engineering which it has successfully carried out in the last two elections.

The Jat votes in the state are largely divided between the Congress, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and its splinter group, JJP.

As the alliance between the BJP and JJP fell apart, the saffron party is trying to split Jat votes to its favour. It remains to be seen if the Jat votes come on one platform or remain divided, say political observers.