Rahul’s trusted lieutenant Surjewala locked in tough fight
KAITHAL : The ruling BJP has never won this seat, but the family of sitting MLA Randeep Surjewala of the Congress has won it thrice. Two major castes, of Jats and Gurjars, dominate this hot seat, with a fierce and visible caste-divide among voters. The stage is, thus, set for a keenlywatched contest between former MLA Leela Ram Gurjar, of the BJP and Surjewala, though, there are 18 candidates in the fray, including Ramphal Malik of the Jannayak Janata Party and Anil Kumar of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD).
The BJP has the support of Kailash Bhagat, a Punjabi leader, who has contested from the seat previously and was second in all three elections that Surjewala and his father Shamsher Singh had won.
SURJEWALA: BJP’S HOT TARGET
The BJP has trained its guns on Surjewala, considered to be a trusted lieutenant of former Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Even BJP chief Amit Shah began his election campaign from Kaithal, by terming Surjewala as biggest opponent and critic of all good works that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had done.
“Surjewala’s proximity to Gandhi family has now become a problem for him, as he followed the party’s directions. BJP leaders are projecting him as the most vocal opponent of the removal of Article 370, the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Triple Talaq during campaigning,” said a political observer. Chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Union minister of state, Krishan Pal Gurjar, are campaigning for Gurjar, especially in Gurjardominated villages.
JIND BYPOLL HAUNTS SURJEWALA
The humiliating defeat in Jind bypoll in January this year still haunts Surjewala, with his opponents accusing him of failing to meet expectations of Kaithal residents. A video grab of Surjewala’s Jind bypoll campaign is being circulated on social media in which he is promising, “Mai MLA banne nahi aaya, par yeh sankalp karke aaya hu ki Kaithal seat se istifa de dunga or Jind ka MLA banke rahunga (I am not here to become an MLA, but to take an oath that I will resign from my present seat of Kaithal, but will become Jind MLA).”
In an interaction with HT, Surjewala termed his decision to contest the Jind bypoll as ‘duty’. “The Congress president directed me to keep the party’s flag afloat, I followed the command and made that sacrifice, knowing that it’s an unwinnable seat. The Congress, however, did better than the past.”
“I don’t think it (Jind bypoll) has anything to do with Kaithal as people here are connected with me with heart and soul, and not by politics,” he added.
CASTE FACTOR
Issues of public interest take a back seat as caste is all you hear during campaigning. Both Surjewala and Leela Ram accuse each other’s parties of dividing people on the basis of caste and claim support of all 36 communities.
“Polarisation is in the BJP’s DNA and it always fights elections after creating divisions in the name of caste and religion. In the past five years, Khattar has only polarised, divided and spread hate. Police bullets have killed nearly 200 persons during the BJP rule,” Surjewala claims.
Leela Ram counters, “I have a long association with all castes, especially the Jats. I have the support of all communities in the city, and in villages.”
“Caste is a major factor here. Being a Jat, Surjewala could dent the INLD’s traditional vote bank of the Jat and Sikh communities,” said a local INLD leader, claiming that Gurjar had an advantage, as the BJP was strong in the city.
WISE COUNSEL FOR SUPPORTERS
“About 80% voters are neutral, they should be on your target. Greet the elderly by touching their feet and tell them how I have worked for Kaithal,” Surjewala tells his workers in morning meeting at a hotel.
Leela Ram, in a meeting held before Amit Shah’s visit to Kaithal, cautions his workers against using offensive language against any caste or community.
“Hame chhatis biradri ke saath ki jarurat hai or sabhi ke pass hame jaana hai or batana hai ki yeh jeet bhi aapki hogi or agar hare to haar bhi aapki hogi (We need the support of all 36 communities; we need to tell them that both victory and loss from the seat will be theirs.”