Saffron party opens its account in Samalkha segment after 57 years

Besides winning all four seats in Panipat district for the first time, the BJP achieved another feat by opening an account in Samalkha for the first time.

Samalkha Assembly constituency was a distant dream for the BJP as it never tasted success in the Assembly elections here. The Congress, however, has won this seat five times out of 13.

Even during the high wave in favour of the BJP in 2014, the Samalkha people elected an Independent MLA, Ravinder Machroli, and in the 2019 Assembly polls, Congress candidate Dharam Singh Chhokker was elected as MLA.

But with the victory of Manmohan Bhadana on Tuesday, the BJP succeeded in opening an account on this seat after 57 years.

The Samalkha people faced their first election in 1967 and Randhir Singh of Akhil Bharatiya Jan Sangh (ABJS) its first MLA. But, in 1968 Kartar Singh of Congress won the election from here.

The Congress repeated again in 1972 and Hari Singh was elected MLA and in 1977 the Janta Party candidate Mool Chand defeated the Congress sitting MLA Hari Singh. But in 1982, the voters in Samalkha again elected Congress’ candidate Kartar Singh.

In 1987, Lok Dal candidate Sachdev Tyagi was elected MLA of Samalkha; in 1991, Janta Dal candidate Hari Singh was elected; in 1996, Kartar Singh Bhadana of Haryana Vikas Party (HVP) won the Assembly elections.

In 2000, Kartar Singh Bhadana joined the INLD and again became MLA of Samalkha by defeating Congress candidate Hari Singh Nalwa. In 2005, the Congress retained the seat and Bharat Singh Chhokker was elected MLA from here.

In 2009, Dharam Singh Chhokker won the elections on the Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) (BL-Bhajan Lal) ticket but later he supported the then Chief Minister, Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

In 2014, the BJP won almost all seats on GT Road belt, but in Samalkha, Independent candidate Ravinder Machroli won by defeating Congress candidate Dharam Singh Chhokker. However, he supported the BJP.

In 2019, the Congress again fielded Dharam Singh Chhokker and achieved success from here.