Kalanaur set to witness triangular contest

The Kalanaur (Reserved) Assembly constituency in Rohtak district is likely to witness a triangular contest in these elections, though the nominees of other parties as well as some Independent candidates are also trying their luck.

The Congress has fielded its sitting MLA Shakuntala Khatak, who has represented the constituency in 2009, 2014 and 2019 and is fighting for a fourth consecutive term this time.

The BJP has nominated former Rohtak Mayor Renu Dabla as its candidate from the constituency.

On the other hand, Ravidassia community leader Prem Kumar is also in the poll fray as a ‘panchayati’ candidate fielded by his community with support of the other communities.

The Ravidassia community, which has a large chunk of voters in the constituency, had urged the Congress as well as BJP leaderships to field a candidate from their community this time.

However, when none of the national parties acceded to their request, the community members held a meeting and decided to field Ravidassia Sabha head and former Congressman Prem Kumar.

“Our panchayati candidate Prem Kumar is getting good support from the residents and will win with a big margin,” says Sonu Pilana, a local Zila Parishad member and representative of the community.

Meanwhile, the supporters of the Congress candidate Shakuntala Khatak maintain that she would emerge victorious for the fourth time in a row, though they admit that she is facing opposition from local voters and a section of Congress workers.

“The residents of the constituency understand that the Congress is going to form the next government in the state. Hence, they will vote for the Congress candidate, who also has the strong backing of former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda,” observes Surajmal Kiloi, a former vice-president of the BJP SC Morcha in Haryana, who recently quit the BJP and is campaigning for the Congress candidates in Rohtak and Kalanaur.

Questioned about the panchayati candidate fielded by members of the Ravidassia community with support of other communities, Surajmal remarks that Prem Kumar is a respectable member of the community, but the community votes would be divided as several other members of the community were also in the fray.

Surajmal Kiloi, who was an aspirant for the BJP ticket from Kalanaur this time, revolted against the party on being denied the ticket. “They ignored me and fielded a former Mayor who lost the election of a municipal councillor from Rohtak even after serving as the city’s Mayor,” he laments.

On the other hand, former Rohtak Mayor and BJP candidate Renu Dabla says that she is confident of a win. “I am getting a good response from the residents who want to have a double-engine government in order to ensure all-round progress,” she states.