Political shift in Ellenabad: Congress’ Beniwal defeats Abhay Chautala

In a dramatic turn of events in the Ellenabad Assembly elections, Abhay Chautala, who had held the seat since 2010, faced a major defeat. Congress candidate Bharat Singh Beniwal emerged victorious, beating Chautala by a margin of 14,861 votes. This loss ended Chautala’s dream of becoming a five-time MLA, a goal he had pursued while positioning himself as a strong contender for the Chief Minister’s post in Haryana.

Throughout the vote-counting process, which spanned 14 rounds, Chautala only led in the final round, briefly gaining an advantage of 628 votes over Beniwal. However, Beniwal had maintained a consistent lead in the previous 13 rounds, securing 77,865 votes to Chautala’s 62,865. The BJP candidate, Amir Chand Mehta, finished a distant third with just 13,320 votes.

Chautala’s defeat is being attributed to several factors. His controversial alliance with Gopal Kanda’s Haryana Lokhit Party (HLP) is believed to have alienated his core supporters, particularly the local farming community. Chautala had resigned from his seat during the 2021 farmers’ protests and won the by-election largely due to their support. However, his decision to partner with Kanda, whose brother ran as a BJP candidate against Chautala in that election, was seen as a betrayal by the farmers.

Secondly, the BJP’s decision to field a weaker candidate, Amir Chand Mehta, also played a role. Historically, Ellenabad elections featured three main contenders – INLD, Congress, and BJP. With Mehta’s lacklustre performance, votes that might have gone to the BJP instead shifted towards Congress, consolidating Beniwal’s lead.

Lastly, Beniwal’s emotional appeal and grassroots campaign made a significant impact. Chautala, who seemed overconfident throughout the election, underestimated Beniwal’s ability to connect with voters. Beniwal’s outreach in rural areas resonated strongly with the electorate, portraying him as a humble candidate ready to serve. Even campaigning efforts by Chautala’s father, Om Prakash Chautala, could not sway the result in his favour.

Ultimately, Beniwal’s strategy paid off, and the people of Ellenabad chose him to represent them in the Haryana Assembly, marking a significant political shift in the region.