BJP locked in close contest in Ahirwal
BJP candidates are locked in a close contest in a majority of the seats in the party’s stronghold Ahirwal region, especially in Rewari and Mahendragarh districts. Ahirwal is one of the two belts the BJP is expecting the repeat of its previous 2019 Assembly poll performance to form the government for the third time in a row.
The saffron party had made a clean sweep in 2014 Assembly polls by winning all seven seats of the two districts for the first time. In the next polls in 2019, it managed to retain five seats and got a lot of help in forming the government for the second time consecutively. But this time, anti-incumbency and some other issues are dominating the polls cutting across caste lines.
The prestige of Union Minister and Ahir Stalwart Rao Inderjit Singh is at stake as the BJP gave him a free-hand in the allotment of ticket. Five out of seven BJP candidates owe allegiance to Rao in Rewari and Mahendragarh districts. His daughter Arti Singh Rao too is trying her fortune from the Ateli constituency of Mahendragarh district.
“Besides anti-incumbency, the issues such as the Agniveer scheme, unemployment, hike in old-age pension, deteriorating law and order are at play in the election, which are going against the ruling BJP. The situation has led Rao Inderjit to dedicate his whole time in the field to prove his dominance in Ahirwal and strengthen his claim for the post of Chief Minister,” said Naresh Chauhan, a political analyst in Rewari.
As far as Rewari district is concerned, the BJP has replaced its candidates on all three seats — Rewari, Kosli and Bawal (Reserve). Outgoing MLA from Kosli Laxman Singh Yadav has been shifted to Rewari against outgoing MLA Chiranjeev Rao, son of Ahir stalwart and six-time former MLA Capt Ajay Singh Yadav.
“Satish Yadav and Prashant Sunny Yadav, the BJP rebels, are in the fray as the AAP nominee and an Independent candidate, respectively are adding to the BJP’s woes and making the contest neck and neck yet again while Chiranjeev is flagging local issues prominently and also setting a narrative of being awarded a big post if the Congress comes to power. However, Laxman Yadav is banking on the BJP cadre and vote bank,” said Parveen, a local resident.
In Bawal (Reserve), the BJP has pitted former Director (Health Services) and debutant Dr Krishan Kumar against the Congress’s veteran Dr Muni Lal Ranga after denying the ticket to two-time MLA and former Public Health Engineering Dr Banwari Lal. He (Lal) is not so active in the constituency; hence the BJP candidate is dependent on Rao Inderjit’s clout in the area.
In Kosli, BJP nominee Anil Dahina is contesting his debut election against former minister and Congress nominee Jagdish Yadav. In Mahendragarh district, Arti Singh Rao from Ateli is locked in a close contest with BSP nominee Thakur Attar Lal and Congress’s Anita Yadav. Besides Rao Inderjit, BJP veteran Ram Bilas Sharma too is extensively canvassing for her while he is not so active in his Mahendragarh constituency where the BJP has bet on its former district president Kanwar Singh Yadav by denying the ticket to Sharma. It is likely to cause a dent to the saffron party.
