Meet the young guns who made a mark in House

CHANDIGARH: Though most of the 44 first-time MLAS of the BJP, its ally the JJP and the Congress as well as independents of total 90 legislators articulately projected their respective points, there were some from the young lot who made an impact in the recently concluded budget session of the Haryana assembly.

They are Congress’ Dabwali MLA Amit Sihag, Rewari MLA Chiranjeev Rao and Badli MLA Kuldeep Vats; JJP’S Tohana MLA Devender Singh Babli and independent legislator Balraj Kundu from Meham.

Sihag, 37, who is the son of Congress leader Dr KV Singh, spoke fluently in Hindi and English and highlighted on multiple occasions the issue of drug addiction spreading its tentacles in his constituency in particular reference to an incident in Sirsa district bordering Punjab.

Former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who is the leader of opposition in the assembly, could be often seen encouraging him to complete his projections despite uproar from the treasury benches.

Rao, 33, son of senior Congress leader Capt Ajay Yadav, who too was fluent in Hindi and English, took on the government over delay in setting up of AIIMS at Manethi (Sirsa district) despite an announcement made by chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar in this regard.

He was among the main MLAS who participated in sharp exchanges over a variety issues like drug addiction and health.

Gritty Congress MLA from Badli, Vats — who had defeated the then agriculture minister OP Dhankar — was the one who got support of Hooda and another senior party leader BB Batra in his protests against the government over a range of issues. They even accompanied him to outside the assembly when he protested government’s move to take away the land donated to Dholidar brahmins.

Deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala had informed the

CONG’S AMIT SIHAG, CHIRANJEEV RAO AND KULDEEP VATS HIGHLIGHTED ISSUES OF DRUGS, HEALTHCARE; INDEPENDENT MLA BALRAJ KUNDU FLAGGED IRREGULARITIES IN GOVERNMENT WORKS

House that as much as 1,245 acres of panchayat land were donated to Dholidars, whereas only private land can be given to them. Dushyant also accused Hooda of giving panchayat land to his ‘favourite ones’ under the Dholidar land rules.

Interestingly, notwithstanding his party’s coalition with the BJP, JJP’S Tohana MLA Babli, who had defeated the state president of the saffron party Subhash Barala by over 52,000 votes, remained consistent throughout the session in his fight against what he claimed grave situation of fast-spreading drug addiction in the state.

He alleged that some people close to Barala were ‘involved’ in drug trade to which, home minister Anil Vij held that all aspects pertaining to drug addiction and business were being looked into.

Independent legislator Kundu, basically a BJP rebel who had defeated senior Congress leader Anand Singh Dangi in Jat heartland Meham constituency, strongly projected major irregularities allegedly involving former cooperation minister Maneesh Grover in different works.

He did not budge in his fight and eventually withdrew his support to the government.