Kaithal Assembly seat set for high-stakes battle

The Kaithal Assembly segment is set for a tough contest as Congress candidate Aditya Surjewala has entered his first electoral battle and is making every effort to reclaim the political ground of his family and the Congress.

On the one hand, Aditya, son of Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Surjewala and grandson of veteran politician Shamsher Singh Surjewala, is contesting against stalwart and two-time MLA Leela Ram of the BJP.

Surjewala family held the seat for three consecutive terms in 2005 by Shamsher Singh Surjewala, 2009 and 2014 by Randeep Surjewala. However, in the last Assembly election in 2019, Randeep Surjewala narrowly lost the seat to Leela Ram by just 1,246 votes. Leela Ram secured 72,664 votes while Randeep garnered 71,418, marking a key victory for the BJP in Kaithal.

Leela Ram won the seat in 2000 on the INLD ticket and later on the BJP ticket in 2019. He had contested on the Janata Party’s ticket in 1991, but lost.

Political experts said, this time, Aditya was determined to avenge his father’s defeat and reclaim the Congress foothold in what was considered one of the most closely watched contests in the state. His campaign strategy was heavily focused on the development work undertaken by his father and grandfather in Kaithal. During his campaign, Aditya was accusing the BJP of halting major projects initiated by his father, such as the City Square project and others, which he claimed were essential for Kaithal’s growth. “I will continue on the footsteps of my father and grandfather in Kaithal. I will develop the segment in all ways,” said Aditya in his poll campaign.

Being a youth, Aditya is vocal about tackling unemployment, accusing the BJP government of failing to provide jobs.

Leela Ram, on the other hand, is campaigning on the achievements of the BJP government, emphasising that Kaithal has seen better development under the BJP regime. He has criticised the Congress for neglecting Kaithal during its tenure and is positioning himself as a local leader with a deep connection to the region.

He also defended the BJP’s track record by highlighting its merit-based job allocation system, which abolished the need for political favours or bribes, a system known locally as “parchi and kharchi.” “Our government has developed the state in inclusive ways. It has provided jobs on merit basis,” said Leela Ram.

Political analysts believe the contest is a direct flight between the Congress and BJP. “Aditya Surjewala is banking on anti-incumbency sentiments and his family’s past contributions to Kaithal, while Leela Ram is leveraging the work done during the BJP regime,” said Dr Jaibir Dhariwal, an associate professor at RKSD College.

“The caste factor will play a crucial role in determining the outcome of the election,” Dhariwal said, highlighted that both parties were making an all-out effort to win the seat. The Congress might gain grip due to the anti-incumbency wave, while BJP is focusing on its governance record and local connections for retaining the seat, he added.