OF 3 OLYMPIANS IN HARYANA POLL FRAY, ONLY ONE TASTES VICTORY

CHANDIGARH: Former Indian hockey captain Sandeep Singh, 33, became the first Olympian from Haryana to enter the state a s s e mbl y b y wi n n i n g t h e Pehowa seat on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket on Thursday. Olympian wrestlers Yogeshwar Dutt and Babita Phogat, however, bit the dust in their maiden political forays.

All three had resigned from their posts with the Haryana Police to make their electoral debut on BJP tickets this year.

Sandeep Si ngh def e at e d former cabinet minister and four-time Congress MLA Harmohinder Singh’s son Mandeep Chatha, 46, of the Congress by 5,314 votes. The hockey player got 42,613 votes, while Mandeep polled 37,299 votes.

This is the first time that the BJP won t he Pehowa s e at . Except f or Haryana’s f i r s t assembly election in 1967, the constituency has remained either with the Congress or the INLD. In the past three polls, the BJP emerged second twice.

Olympic bronze medallist Yogeshwar Dutt, 36, who enjoys a larger-than-life image in Sonepat, gave a tough fight to Congress st alwart Sri Krishan Hooda, 74. Dutt lost by 4,840 votes. Hooda won the Baroda seat for the third time in a row.

Babita, 29, finished third in Dadri. She polled 24,786 votes, while BJP rebel Sombir Sangwan got 43,849 votes to emerge victorious.

Satpal Sangwan of the Jannayak Janata Party got 29,577 votes to finish second.

OLYMPIC BRONZE MEDALLIST YOGESHWAR DUTT, 36, WHO ENJOYS A LARGER THAN LIFE IMAGE IN SONEPAT, GAVE A TOUGH FIGHT TO CONG STALWART SRI KRISHAN HOODA, 74. DUTT LOST BY 4,840 VOTES