7 red hot seats in Haryana assembly elections

Haryana and Maharashtra are scheduled to have Assembly Elections on October 15. However, the grappling over seat sharing between BJP-Shiv Sena and Congress-NCP has bestowed Maharashtra with a fair share of media attention.

But despite being forsaken by the national media, Haryana too is getting ready for another political ‘Mahabharata’ with a handful of its political clans ready to grapple. With Hoodas, Chautalas and Lals still at the helm of Haryana politics, the battle between Congress, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and the wild card entry BJP is ought to have breath taking contest.

Congress had won a hefty 44 seats in 2009 with INLD got reduced to a meager 28. But the anti-incumbency accompanied by ghost of DLF- Vadra land deal and many other scams have made it tough for Congress this time.
On the other hand, Congress’ de-facto rival in Haryana, INLD is mulling a comeback. Riding on the anti-incumbency wave and sympathy among its Jat vote bank for its jailed leaders former Chief Minister, Om Prakash Chautala and his son Ajay Singh Chautala, INLD dreams to attain the seat in Chandigarh once again.

BJP riding on the Modi wave today is claiming the citadel of Chandigarh, but in 2009, it had only managed to win three seats. Kuldeep Bishnoi of Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) and son of former CM Bhajan Lal will try to make an impact alone after parting ways with BJP in August.

Out of a total of 90 assembly seats, atleast seven seats will have crucial battle between leaders of different political pedigrees. These seven seats will see the making and unmaking of not only the individuals, but also of the clans who have been ruling since its inception in 1966.

Some of these crucial seats are:

1. Uchana Kalan: This is perhaps the most volatile seat in this election. BJP has fielded Premlata Singh, wife of former Congress leader Chaudhary Birender Singh who recently joined BJP after revolting against 10 Janpath, for its continuous support to Chief Minister Bhupender Singh Hooda. In 2009, Chaudhary Birender Singh, grandson of Chaudhary Chhotu Ram, one of the founders of Haryana, had lost this seat to INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala by a meager 629 votes. Chaudhary at that time had accused both Hooda and Chautala of foul play. This time, INLD has fielded Dushyant Chautala, the grandson of Om Prakash Chautala and the sitting MP from Hisar to contest against Premlata Singh. This battle between two of the biggest political clans of Haryana is ought to have a close contest. Chaudhary Birender Singh was a close aide of Rajiv Gandhi in the late 1980s.

2. Hisar: Savitri Jindal, wife of OP Jindal of Jindal group and mother of former MP from Kurukhshetra Naveen Jindal has been a two time MLA from this seat. And congress once again has showed confidence in her, but the recent defeat of her son Naveen Jindal in Loksabha election is certain to cast cloud of doubt over her victory from their ancestral seat. Eyeing the Baniya and Punjabi vote bank, BJP also has fielded Dr Kamal Gupta, another Baniya candidate against Jindal.

3. Adampur:  Adampur is the traditional seat of Bhajan Lal, former CM and perhaps the strongest non-Jat leader in history of Haryana. His son Kuldeep Bishnoi and his wife Renuka have been winning from this seat. But Kuldeep lost this seat to Dushyant Chautala in recent Loksabha elections and it would be tough for him to retain this seat. Kuldeep Bishnoi who recently parted ways with BJP in August is in must win situation because he doesn’t win, his political career and his ambitions to continue Bhajan Lal’s legacy as CM would certainly get a jolt. BJP has fielded Karan Singh Ranaualiya, another strong local Jat leader.

4. Mahendergarh: Congress’ senior leader Rao Daan Singh and Haryana BJP president Ramvilas Sharma will lock horns for this seat. This seat traditionally belongs to Ahir Yadavs and Rao Daan Singh is an Ahir but Sharma is hoping for the anti-incumbency and Modi wave to see him through. BJP, however, hasn’t announced its CM candidate yet, but if sources are to be believed Sharma is also in fray for the top post. INLD has fielded Rao Bahadur Singh, another Ahir leader who indirectly gives advantage to  Sharma by splitting the Yadav votes.

5. Rewari: Rewari is the heart of Ahirwal aka South Haryana and the two biggest political families in south Haryana come from this region. One is Power minister in Hooda government and present Rewari candidate Captain Ajay Yadav and second is union minister Rao Inderjeet Singh who also happens to be royality of Rewari. Captain Ajay Yadav, who is son of former CM Rao Abhay Singh has never lost an election from here.
This time too Ajay Yadav candidature is quite strong, thanks to BJP’s attempt to neutralize Rao Inderjeet Singh influence in the party. Rao Inderjeet wanted the Rewari ticket for his daughter Aarti Rao, but the party preferred Randhir Singh Kapariwas, another grassroot level local leader over the royal blood. Captain Ajay also happens to be the father-in-law of RJP chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s daughter.

6. Tosham: Tosham is the traditional seat of Bansi Lal family. This time too Kiran Chaudhary, the daughter-in-law of former CM Bansi Lal and minister in Hooda government is contesting from Tosham on Congress ticket. But the defeat of Sharuti Chaudhary, Kiran’s daughter in Lok Sabha elections to BJP’s Dhrambir Singh has made this election a prestige issue for Kiran Chaudhary. Both BJP and INLD are strong here and it would be a three side contest. The tag of Bansi Lal’s bahu is certainly an added advantage for her.  Bansi Lal’s younger son and former BCCI chief Ranvir Singh Mahindra is also contesting on a Congress ticket from Badhra.

7. Dabwali: Dabwali is a bastion of Chautalas and this time the INLD will try to paint it green. Sympathy wave for Ajay Chautala who is serving imprisonment along with his father Om Prakash Chautala for JBT scam used to contest from here. INLD has kept this in mind and has fielded Naina Singh, wife of Ajay and mother of Dushayant (26), the youngest MP in the history of Indian democracy.