BJP, Congress locked in tough battle
Five-time MLA and education minister Ram Bilas Sharma facing anti-incumbency due to lack of visible development
MAHENDRAGARH: The contest between the BJP and Congress in Mahendragarh assembly constituency is turning out to be a major political battle with both parties throwing in all their resources to capture the imagination of the voters.
Despite having a strong following in the area, five-time MLA and education minister Ram Bilas Sharma of the BJP faces anti-incumbency due to lack of visible development. His opponent Rao Dan Singh of the Congress is also an experienced campaigner, who has defeated Sharma thrice in 2000, 2005 and 2009 elections. Despite being from Bhiwani, Rao has carved a niche for himself in the area with strong support particularly among Yadavs, who are the largest vote bank.
The entry of an independent Sandeep Sheoran, who is popular among locals and JJP’s decision to field Ramesh Palri, a Yadav, has also altered the traditional political equation when only the two national parties mattered and got votes.
Local political watchers say that in the past, the votes mainly got divided between Congress and BJP but the entry of Sheoran, a former civil servant, and Palri of JJP have added an interesting twist to the polls.
“Sheoran was a government official who took voluntary retirement and runs an NGO. He is going to get votes that mostly went to Sharma. Palri is likely to hit the Congress candidate,” said Pradeep Sharma, a local journalist, who adds that this will make the contest more closely fought.
In public meetings, while Congress candidate attacks the sitting MLA on account of lack of development and keeping the area backward in last five years and also accuses BJP government of causing economic slowdown. Sharma counters by accusing him of dabbling only in property dealing and cites the cases registered against him and his son in real estate related matters. “There is rampant unemployment in this constituency. The BJP government stopped all projects started by the Congress such as northsouth road corridor, the civil hospital, bus stand and local roads are in shambles in the city. The MLA also said no to medical college as part of the central university and nothing happened on kissan model school,” Singh tells HT, adding that in 2014, the BJP had won because of a strong Modi wave and anti-incumbency against the government.
The sops announced by the Congress, including farm loan waiver, stipend to unemployed youth and kitchen expenses to BPL women, and plots to SC community, are also sounding interesting to the voters in the largely rural constituency.
In his campaign, the BJP candidate focuses more on work done by the Modi and Khattar governments like avenging the Pulwama attack and revoking Article 370, corruption-free government and curb on land acquisition by the state. On the personal note, he alleges that Rao Dan Singh is an outsider and he was more involved in property dealing and real estate development when he was the MLA.
“How can an outsider win the polls?” he asks a large crowd gathered at Devi Lal Park.
A visit across the constituency makes it clear that fight is even. And the Congress, sensing that there is a chance to upset the BJP’s applecart, has decided to throw in all its resources. On Friday, a large public rally was addressed by Rahul Gandhi at local sports ground and he asked people to ensure the victory of party candidate. “Haryana has the chance to undo the damage BJP has done to the economy and country so vote for us,” said Gandhi.
As a counter measure and to ensure that Sharma does not lose ground, the BJP called in home minister Rajnath Singh, film star and MP Hema Malini and Union minister Rao Inderjit Singh to seek votes for Sharma. Singh addressed a rally in Satnali, which has a large number of Rajput and Jat votes while Inderjit appealed to Yadavs to support the BJP.
There is no doubt that not only the political parties, but the voters also sense that it is a close fight.
The traders in the local market, when asked about which side the wind is blowing said that though the Congress supporter were more vocal and confident but the result will be decided by a large majority of silent voters, who are keeping the cards close to their chest.