E-Paper
Haryana assembly polls: Eyeing Congress ticket, Pawan Bansal’s son making political moves in Panchkula
Former Union minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, who had been notably absent from Congress candidate Manish Tewari’s campaign in Chandigarh during the general elections, was seen actively campaigning for the party candidate in Panchkula
As Haryana prepares for its assembly elections in October this year, Manish Bansal, son of former railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, is making a push for political influence in Panchkula.
At 45, Manish is vying for a Congress ticket from Panchkula and his growing presence on the local political scape is creating a stir, with party leaders monitoring the developments closely.
His efforts are particularly noteworthy, given the Bansal family’s connections with the central leadership. Although this won’t be Manish’s first foray in elections, having already contested the 2022 Punjab assembly elections from Barnala, albeit unsuccessfully.
With the Congress party in Panchkula currently leaderless, the field is open for leaders outside the region.
Chander Mohan, who ran unsuccessfully in the 2019 elections and was once seen as the party’s face in Panchkula, is expected to shift his focus to Fatehabad assembly constituency after supporting the Congress candidate from Sirsa in the recent Lok Sabha polls.
Former Union minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, who had been notably absent from Congress candidate Manish Tewari’s campaign in Chandigarh during the general elections, was seen actively campaigning for the party candidate in Panchkula.
A four-time member of Parliament from Chandigarh, Bansal was a strong contender for the ticket, but had lost out to Tewari.
Law graduate-turned-businessman
Manish Bansal, a law graduate from Panjab University and a businessman, has worked as the Haryana additional advocate general besides serving as the treasurer of the Punjab Youth Congress.
“I have been working in Panchkula for the last 16 years and have the desire to contest from here, but the final decision will rest with the party high command,” said Manish, who is presently in Delhi.
Panchkula’s politics dominated by Baniya vote
Manish is aiming to carve out a niche among the influential “Baniya” votes in Panchkula, considered a stronghold of the BJP.
Predominantly home to Baniya and Punjabi communities, the Panchkula assembly constituency was formed by separating it from Kalka after delimitation.
In 2009, the first election on this seat was won by Congress’ Devendra Kumar Bansal after previously contesting from Ambala. BJP’s Gian Chand Gupta then took over the seat in 2014, retaining it in 2019.
Gupta has also served as the district BJP president and mayor of Chandigarh. In 2020, when the direct election of Panchkula mayor was held for the first time, Kulbhushan Goyal, a representative of the Baniya community, had won.
Meanwhile, Laxman Goyal from Panchkula has also staked claim to the Panchkula seat. A long-time Congress member since 1976, Goyal has also been the patron of Akhil Bhartiya Aggarwal Sammelan, chairman of the Caring Hand Charitable Foundation and former director of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL).
Congress state women wing chief Sudha Bhardwaj as well as former mayor Upinder Ahluwalia are also actively seeking the ticket, signalling a competitive race for the party nomination from Panchkula.
