Close contest awaits JJP face, sitting BJP MLA
UCHANA KALAN (JIND): For sitting BJP legislator Prem Lata and Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) leader Dushyant Chautala, who are facing each other on the Uchana Kalan seat for the second time, the battle could not have been stiffer.
Prem Lata, 69, wife of threetime MP and five-time-MLA Birender Singh, who had defeated Dushyant (31) in the 2014 assembly polls by 7,480 votes, is the mother of Brijendra Singh, who is the sitting Hisar MP. The Uchana segment falls in the Hisar Lok Sabha constituency.
The now JJP leader, Dushyant, had contested the assembly polls from Uchana Kalan when he was INLD’s Hisar MP. He is the son of former MP Ajay Chautala and grandson of Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) supremo Om Prakash Chautala.
This time he is a candidate of the JJP, the outfit he floated after OP Chautala expelled him, his father and younger brother from the party last year.
OLD RIVALRY, HIGHER STAKES
The families of Birender Singh and the Chautalas have a long political rivalry. Singh, the grandson of Sir Chhotu Ram, one of the tallest farmer leaders from Haryana, remained state cabinet minister thrice and was defeated by Om Prakash Chautala in the 2009 assembly elections from here.
As if to avenge this defeat, Prem Lata contested from this seat in 2014 and defeated his grandson Dushyant. Being the great grandson of former deputy prime minister late Devi Lal, he claims to be the heir of the latter’s legacy.
CLASH BETWEEN TWO JAT CONTESTANTS
Uchana Kalan is a constituency dominated by Jats and both Prem Lata and Dushyant belong to the community. To Prem Lata’s advantage, the seat has been a citadel of her husband and former senior Congress leader Birender Singh who belongs to Dumerkhan village of the segment. This is in addition to the BJP vote bank she has.
Dushyant claims he has the backing of a section of INLD supporters, besides a the support of the youth. Also, since former BJP MLA Ram Kumar Gautam has joined the JJP and is contesting from neighbouring Narnaund seat, he is canvassing for Dushyant to get a chunk of Brahmin votes in Uchana Kalan.
“Vidhayak ji kuchh bhi kahen, sach to ye hai ke unka aur unke parivar ka jo level hai, us hisaab se kuchh bhi kaam nahin huye,” says Shishpal, a teacher. Many supporters of Prem Lata, including Suresh Sheokand, highlight the works done by Prem Lata and say the main demands of the area have been met. “Uchana has been made a sub-division, it has got a grain market, a PWD rest house, a horticulture centre, a 50-bed hospital, approval for Kendriya Vidyalaya and a motor-driving school during my tenure,” Prem Lata lists the works done by her at the meetings.
Dushyant repeatedly tells his supporters in rallies that Birender Singh has not done a thing in 40 years for the people he represented. “He has only promoted himself and his family,” he says.
But since the Congress has fielded Balram Katwal, a Jat, and INLD has fielded Satpal Gaindakhera, it remains to be seen whose support base they will damage. Political observers are of the opinion that the INLD candidate could harm Dushyant’s prospects due to the ongoing rift within the Chautala clan. Raghubir Palwan, a Brahmin, is also in the fray and he could also divide the votes from the caste he belongs to.
BJP CANDIDATE PREM LATA HAD DEFEATED DUSHYANT CHAULTALA BY 7,480 VOTES IN 2014