Independents may upset apple-cart of national parties in Haryana Assembly election

Independent candidates, who have played the role of 'king-makers' by helping different parties form the government in Haryana on several occasions, are making the headlines even before the announcement of election results this time.

As per the official figures, as many as 462 independent candidates are contesting the Assembly elections from 90 constituencies across the state.

A considerable number of independent candidates include those wannabe MLAs of the Congress and BJP who revolted against their parties and jumped into the poll akhara on being denied ticket.

Several such candidates are capable not only of making a dent in the vote-banks of the Congress and the BJP, but even of defeating the nominees of the national parties.

Hence, no wonder that the top leaders of the Congress as well as BJP refer to them 'vote-cutters' and specifically ask the voters not to vote for them. The Congress as well as the BJP have also expelled several leaders who had turned rebels and are contesting the Assembly elections against the party candidates.

Acknowledging the presence of rebel candidates, Union Minister Amit Shah, while addressing a public meeting at Kunjpura grain market in Karnal yesterday, urged the voters to focus on the BJP’s symbol, the lotus, and stay united for the party.

Veteran Congress leader and two-time Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has also been repeatedly exhorting the voters not to vote for the independent candidates.

"These elections are a direct contest between the BJP and the Congress. Hence, there is no use voting for the 'vote-kaatus' and the people should keep this in mind while casting their votes," maintains Hooda.

The apprehension of the leaderships of the national parties are not unsubstantiated, given the sound political base of several independent candidates in their respective Assembly segments.

For instance, Rajesh Joon, a Congress rebel and independent candidate from Bahadurgarh Assembly constituency in Jhajjar district, is giving a tough fight to the Congress’ official nominee Rajinder Singh Joon as well as BJP’s Dinesh Joon.

The Hisar Assembly segment has India's richest woman Savitri Jindal in the fray as Independent. She had aspired for the BJP ticket and there were speculations regarding her seeking nomination from the Congress.

The former minister and two-time MLA is giving sleepless nights to the official candidates of the Congress as well as the BJP.

Similarly, former Mayor and BJP leader Gautam Sardana has also jumped the fray as an Independent from Hisar Assembly segment and is also a serious contender.

In Tosham Assembly segment, from where the Congress and the BJP have fielded two members of Bansi Lal family, BJP rebel Shashi Ranjan Parmar has upset the calculations of his rivals.

Parmar, who was the BJP candidate in the last election was dropped by the party after Congress leader Kiran Choudhry joined the BJP and got the Tosham ticket for her daughter Shruti.

In Uchana Kalan Assembly segment, Congress rebel Virender Ghogharian may play the spoilsport in the crucial contest among Congress leader Brijendra Singh, JJP candidate and former Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala and BJP’s Devender Atri.

In the Safidon Assembly segment in Jind district, BJP rebel Bachan Singh Arya and Congress rebel Jasbir Deswal are in the fray. With sitting Congress MLA Subhash Gangoli taking on former JJP MLA from Narnaund and now BJP candidate Ram Kumar Gautam, the entry of two rebels as independents has disturbed the calculations of the national parties.

Badhra Assembly segment in Charkhi Dadri district has also an interesting battle among the Congress, BJP and a Congress rebel independent Somveer Ghasola.

In Rania Assembly segment in Sirsa district, the outgoing independent MLA Ranjit Singh, who served as a minister in the BJP government and joined the BJP just before the Lok Sabha polls, has again joined the electoral battle as an independent.

BJP rebel Naveen Goyal is proving to be a major challenge for the Congress as well as the BJP in Gurugram. Goyal has a good hold on the core-cadre voter groups of the BJP, making it tough for BJP candidate Mukesh Sharma. Goyal has managed to tap a sizeable number of migrant voters.

"I have been working on the ground for five years and thus enjoy public support. The BJP not just befooled leaders like me, but also the people. Tired of Congress and BJP cycle, voters are now supporting us," states Goyal.

Badshahpur, the state's biggest Assembly constituency, had supported independent candidate Rakesh Daultabad in 2019. Following his sudden demise during the recent Lok Sabha elections, his wife Kumudni is contesting to realise her husband's pending plans.

Hence, despite being a first-timer, Kumidni is giving young Congress leader Vardhan Yadav and BJP veteran Rao Narbir a run for their money.

"I am here for karyaneeti and not rajneeti. People can easily differentiate between fake promises and vision. I am banking on my husband's achievements and promise execution of his pending plans," she says.

Independent candidate Rahish Khan is giving a tough fight to incumbent Congress MLA Mohammad Ilyas.

Independent candidates Sharda Rathore from Ballabgarh and Lalit Nagar from Tigaon Assembly segment in Faridabad are giving a tough time to their main opponents from the Congress and the BJP.

Both are former MLA's and have been denied ticket by the Congress party this time.

In Karnal district, Congress rebel and former MLA Raj Kumar Valmiki is creating hurdles for party candidate Dharampal Gonder in Nilokheri Assembly segment, while BJP rebel and former MLA Zile Ram seems to cause trouble for party’s candidate Yoginder Rana in Assandh Assembly segment.

Similarly, BJP rebel and former MLA Dinesh Kaushik, and Congress rebel Satvir Bhana are contesting as independent candidates from Pundri Assembly segment in Kaithal district.

In Rohtak, BJP rebel and independent candidate Radha Ahlawat may play a key role in the poll result of Meham Assembly constituency, while Congress rebel and panchayati candidate Prem Kumar can also make a dent in the Congress vote-bank in Kalanaur (Reserved) Assembly constituency.

In Panipat Urban segment, Congress rebel and former MLA Rohita Rewri is giving a tough contest to the BJP candidate Pramod Vij as well as to the Congress candidate Varinder Kumar Shah.

In Panipat Rural constituency, Congress rebel Vijay Jain has also become a vote-cutter for BJP candidate Mahipal Dhanda and Congress candidate Sachin Kundu.

BJP rebel Devender Kadyan has become a big hurdle for Congress candidate Kuldeep Sharma and BJP candidate Devender Kaushik in Ganaur Assembly constituency.

Similarly, in Baroda constituency, independent candidate Kapoor Narwal is giving a tough challenge to the BJP candidate Pradeep Sangwan and Congress candidate Induraj Narwal.

(With inputs from Bijendra Ahlawat, Deepender Deswal, Ravinder Saini, Sumedha Sharma, Parveen Arora and Mukesh Tandon)