Haryana: Rao Inderjit’s pan-state outreach plan has BJP jittery

Sumedha Sharma

Gurugram, July 9

Even as Central Minister and BJP leader Rao Inderjit might have publicly upheld Home Minister Amit Shah’s verdict of “fighting Haryana elections under the guidance of current Chief Minister Nayab Saini”, his pan-Haryana outreach plan has left the state BJP nervous.

Ahirs demand powerful representation

• Various Ahir groups have now demanded that the BJP should give Ahirs their due for being its biggest supporters in LS elections
• Members of Ahir organisations claim that they have given a large number of seats to the BJP and that the party should now consider having an Ahir president or Chief Minister
• They have expressed disappointment over Mohan Lal Badoli being appointed as the new state BJP president, and said the post should have rather been given to an Ahir

After spending two days in Hisar and mobilising his supporters, Singh plans to travel across the state, including the region near the GT road — which is considered a stronghold of the faction of former CM Manohar Lal Khattar and Saini. Singh has been dodging questions regarding his aspiration to become the CM. However, party sources claim that his outreach plan, which involves holding programmes even in those areas that had never been on his agenda, has raised many eyebrows.

“He left the Congress as he felt that he was never given his due. The same feeling is back now. He is a six-time MP and probably the longest-serving Minister of State, making him one of the most influential leaders of Haryana. During his switch in 2014, despite being promised, he was never considered for the CM post. This time, people who have made it to the Parliament for the first or second time have been chosen for the Cabinet ranks and given important portfolios. This has surely not gone down well with his supporters,” said one of the senior BJP leaders and an associate of Singh.

When contacted, Singh refused to comment, saying, “I am a senior leader of the state and can go and meet residents anywhere.” After a successful public outreach programme in Hisar, Singh now plans to go to Charkhi Dadri, Mahendragarh, Bhiwani, Karnal and other districts.

Various Ahir groups have now demanded that the BJP should give Ahirs and Ahirwal their due for being its biggest supporters in the Lok Sabha elections. Members of the Ahir organisations claim that they have given a large number of seats to the BJP and that the party should now consider having an Ahir President or CM. They have expressed disappointment over Mohan Lal Badoli being the new state BJP president, and said that the post should have rather been given to an Ahir.

“We all followed Singh and became loyal to the BJP in 2014. Since then, we have been promised better representation but haven’t got any. In comparison with those belonging to the GT Road belt, we gave more seats to the BJP in the state in this LS poll. We deserve a senior post in the party,” said Sandeep Yadav of Yadav Maha Sabha.