Congress candidates in Rohtak district bank on Hoodas’ support
The Congress candidates facing opposition in their respective constituencies in Rohtak district are banking on the support of former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his son and Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda.
The party’s candidate from Meham constituency, Balram Dangi, is locked in a multi-cornered contest.
Sitting MLA Balraj Kundu is seeking re-election from the constituency. BJP nominee Deepak Hooda and AAP candidate Vikas Nehra are also in the fight from Meham.
The JJP has extended support to Independent candidate Radha Ahlawat, the wife of BJP rebel Shamsher Kharkara.
Besides, former INLD MLA from the constituency Bali Pahalwan has also thrown his hat in the ring.
Congress candidate Balram Dangi, who is the son of former Haryana leader and four-time MLA Anand Singh Dangi, is facing some opposition.
“Some Congress workers and supporters wanted the party to field a fresh face from the constituency this time. However, Anand Singh Dangi, who is a close confidant of former Chief Minister Hooda, succeeded in getting the party ticket for his son. Now, he would also require Hooda or Deepender to campaign in the constituency as they have a considerable influence on the local voters,” said a local Congressman.
A similar situation prevails in Kalanaur (Reserved) constituency in Rohtak district, where the sitting MLA and Congress nominee Shakuntala Khatak is contesting to be elected for the fourth time in a row.
It may be pertinent to mention here that as many as 55 applicants had sought the Congress ticket from the constituency this time.
Members of the Ravidass community had demanded that someone from their community should be fielded by the Congress this time, but the party reposed faith in the sitting MLA, following which the community members fielded their own ‘panchayati’ candidate with the support of other communities.
The panchayati candidate fielded by the local communities is Prem Kumar, a former Congress leader and head of Ravidass Sabha, Kalanaur.
“Khatak is facing opposition from the members of the Ravidass community. A sort of anti-incumbency factor is also there against her as she has been occupying the MLA’s seat for the past 15 years,” said Dinesh, a resident of Kalanaur.
In the given circumstances, pro-active support of the Hoodas would be crucial for Khatak as well.
Local sources maintain that the local workers and voters may be hostile towards the Congress candidates, but personal appeals by the former Chief Minister as well as the Rohtak MP are likely to sway them.
However, how much time would the Hooda father-son duo be able to devote for each constituency, and how would they pacify the resentful workers and voters of these constituencies remains to be seen.
