Assandh segment where even winner lost security deposit in 2009 elections
Tribune News Service
Karnal, August 25
The Assandh Assembly segment, one of the five in Karnal district, has a unique history, notable in the 2009 elections where none of the candidates, including the winner, had failed to save their security deposit.
Anybody’s game
Since 1977, Assandh Assembly segment has seen 10 elections, with Janata Party, Lok Dal, and Congress winning twice, and Samata Party, Haryana Janhit Congress, BJP and INLD winning one each.
Close contest
Assandh is famous for tough contests. In the past three elections, it has recorded close contests as it has almost equal vote share of the majority of communities. Our election pattern depends on the caste matrix. — Dr Kushal Pal, political expert
Since 1977, Assandh has held 10 elections, with Janata Party, Lok Dal, and Congress winning twice, and Samata Party, Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC), BJP and INLD winning one each.
The 2009 election drew attention due to its unusual outcome. There were 10 candidates in the fray, and none could secure the minimum one-sixth of the total votes required to retain their security deposit, which is mandatory as per the Election Commission rules. Zile Ram Sharma of the HJC, who won by a margin of just 3,540 votes, secured 20,266 votes. His closest competitor, Independent candidate Raghbir Singh Virk, got 16,726 votes, while Yashpal Singh Rana (Independent) got 15,685.
BJP candidate Bakshish Singh Virk received 15,546 votes, Congress candidate Ramesh Kumar Choudhary 15,208, Maratha Virender Verma 14,104, INLD candidate Prem Singh 14,206, and BSP candidate Anil Rana got 3,343 votes.
From 1977 to 1996, the seat reflected the anti-Congress sentiment, with Janata Party, Lok Dal and Samata Party winning the elections. Jogi Ram of the Janata Party won in 1977, followed by Manphool Singh of the Lok Dal in 1982 and 1987. Krishan Lal won the seat in 1991, 1996 and 2000 on the Janata Party, Samata Party and INLD ticket, respectively.
In 2005, Congress candidate Raj Rani Poona won, followed by HJC’s Zile Ram Sharma in 2009, BJP’s Bakshish Singh Virk in 2014, and Congress’ Shamsher Singh Gogi in 2019.
In 2019, Gogi won by a narrow margin of 1,703 votes, securing 32,114 votes. His closest rival, BSP’s Narender Singh received 30,411 votes, with BJP’s Bakshish Singh Virk close behind at 28,519 votes, Independent candidate Zile Ram Sharma got 25,137 votes.
Political experts say Assandh had a unique demographic makeup, with nearly equal voter representation among major communities, leading to consistently tight races. The past three elections were particularly close, with victory margins of 1,703 in 2019, 4,608 in 2014, and 3,540 in 2009.
“Assandh is famous for tough contests. In the past three elections, it has recorded close contest as it has almost equal vote share of the majority of communities. Our election pattern depends on the caste matrix,” says Dr Kushal Pal, a political expert and principal of Indira Gandhi College, Ladwa.
