The election results of Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir tell two different stories and defy narratives. The reason is obvious. The assembly polls were important, especially in terms of a broader political perception, because they were the first major elections after the Lok Sabha polls in which the BJP’s tally was reduced. Since then, opposition parties, primarily Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi, have spread propaganda against the BJP with great vigour. Yet, they do not have anything concrete with which to sway the people against the ruling dispensation. Propaganda can’t change reality. The Haryana election result is undoubtedly not a verdict for Manohar Lal Khattar or Bhupinder Singh Hooda. They may have been the primary actors, but the election was about far more. Had the BJP been defeated, it would not only have emboldened the Opposition parties but also encouraged them to initiate a fresh campaign against the BJP in general, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in particular. Although Haryana is a small state, it is a litmus test. The Opposition’s delusions of a …