Wednesday, Apr 09, 2014
Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda is aware of the challenges as his own future is at stake in this election.
Besides battling corruption charges, his alleged Rohtak-centric development (Rohtak is his hometown and is represented in the outgoing Lok Saba by his now bedridden son Deepender Singh Hooda), he rubbed many old colleagues in the party the wrong way with his allegedly arrogant style of functioning. Some, like Gurgaon MP Rao Inderjit Singh, joined the BJP while many others are simply sulking, refusing to help him out.
A lone Hooda is doing road shows, travelling from one corner to the other in a bid to ensure the Congress party wins and he remains in the good books at Number 10 Janpath (Sonia Gandhi’s bungalow in New Delhi). But the task at hand is uphill if not impossible for him.
AAP connection
Haryana also happens to be the home state (by birth) of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal and his close aide Yogendra Yadav. The AAP is contesting all seats in Haryana convinced that the state holds big potential for them — next only to Delhi where it ruled for 49 days after election of a hung assembly in December last year.
Lok Sabha 10 seats
Key players
Deepender Singh Hooda, son of chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda (Rohtak, Congress party). Seeking third term from bed after injuring his back in an accident.
Rao Inderjit Singh (Gurgaon, BJP)
The top Yadav leader with a mass following in south Haryana left parent Congress party to join rival BJP due to differences with the chief minister. He is the sitting Gurgaon MP.
Ashok Tanwar (Sirsa, Congress party)
Married to the granddaughter of former Indian President Shankar Dayal Sharma Avantika Maken, Tanwar was appointed state Congress president just couple of months before the elections. Seen as a prospective chief ministerial candidate for future.
Dushyant Chautala (Hisar, Indian National Lok Dal)
Fourth generation politician and great grandson of former deputy prime minister Chaudhary Devi Lal and grandson of former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala, contesting first poll to keep the party and family afloat while father (Ajay Singh Chautala) and grandfather are in prison.
Yogendra Yadav (Gurgaon, AAP)
The intellectual turned politician is contesting first election to test the waters for AAP in home state Haryana. His success or failure would have a direct impact on AAP’s future in the state.
Naveen Jindal (Kurukshetra, Congress party)
A leading industrialist and sitting MP, Jindal is facing charges in the infamous coalgate scam.
Shruti Choudhry (Bhiwani-Mahenderagarh, Congress party) Granddaughter of former chief minister Chaudhary Bansi Lal and daughter of Haryana minister Kiran Choudhry, Shruti, a sitting MP, is trying to keep flag of her famous clan politically afloat.
Kuldeep Bishnoi (Hisar, Haryana Janhit Congress)
Son of former chief minister Bhajan Lal, Bishnoi replaced his famous father as Hisar MP and party chief after Bhajan Lal’s death in 2011. Supported by the BJP but facing a challenge to keep Bhajan Lal’s legacy alive.
Key issues:
Land acquisition and change of land use rules
Haryana is a farming state and farmers are unhappy and feel cheated with the way their land was acquired and given to industrialists and builders. Haryana’s land scam is just waiting to explode.
Rohtak-centric development
People living in other areas are unhappy and feel ditched as chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda is accused of directing all investments and development plans for his hometown.
Corruption and price rises
These two issues are central to everything as anywhere else in India.
Lack of jobs and quality education
Haryana’s youth want government jobs as they are not finding many opportunities in the private sector despite presence of so many industries and multinational companies, who reject them due to their lack of skills despite holding degrees. Government has failed to create new jobs or come to the expectation of the youth.
Erratic supply of electricity
Farmers cannot irrigate their fields. Industries are moving out as captive power increases cost of production.
SYL canal
Failure of the state government to get its share of water from the Sutlej-Yamuna link canal which could bring the much needed water for drinking purposes and irrigation to several parts, especially water-perched south Haryana.
Results 2009
Congress party 9
Haryana Janhit Congress 1
BJP 0
INLD 0
Others and independents 0
By Ajay Jha, Chief Correspondent
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