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Haryana assembly results: Rebels spoiled Congress chances in over 10 seats
Congress rebel from Bahadurgarh assembly seat in Jhajjar, Rajesh Joon secured victory with a big margin of 41,999 votes while Congress’ sitting MLA Rajinder Joon managed to get just 28,955 votes and finished third.
Rebels played spoilsport for the Opposition Congress in more than 10 out of 90 seats in the Haryana assembly elections, the results of which were declared on Tuesday. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a hat-trick by winning 48 seats while the Congress’ tally stopped at 37.
Congress rebel from Bahadurgarh assembly seat in Jhajjar, Rajesh Joon secured victory with a big margin of 41,999 votes while Congress’ sitting MLA Rajinder Joon managed to get just 28,955 votes and finished third.
In a nail-biting contest in Uchana Kalan assembly seat, Congress rebels Virender Singh Ghogharian and Dilbag Sadil polled 31,456 and 7,373 votes respectively and party candidate Brijendra Singh lost the election to BJP’s Devender Attri by just 32 votes.
In Jind’s Narwana (SC reserved) seat, Congress rebel Vidya Rani Danoda contested as an Indian National Lok Dal candidate after Congress denied her a ticket. She secured 46,303 votes and party nominee Satbir Dablian lost to Krishan Bedi of the BJP by 11,499 votes. Had Vidya Rani contested as a Congress candidate, her chances of winning the seat were bright.
In Kalka, Congress’ sitting MLA Pardeep Chaudhary lost to BJP’s Shakti Rani Sharma by a margin of 10,883 votes while party rebel Gopal Sukhomajri polled 28,924 votes. In Pundri, Congress rebel Satbir Banna lost to BJP’s Satpal Jamba by just 2,197 votes.
In former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s fortress Gohana, rebel Harsh Chikara got 14,761 votes and spoilt the game for party candidate Jagbir Malik, who lost to former MP Arvind Sharma of the BJP by a margin of 10,429 votes.
In Dadri, Congress nominee Manisha Sangwan’s chances were wrecked by party rebels Ajit Phogat and Sanjay Chaparia as they jointly got over 7,000 votes while Manisha lost to former jailer and BJP candidate Sunil Sangwan by1,957 votes.
In Ambala cantonment, Congress rebel Chitra Sarwara got 52,581 votes and lost to former home minister Anil Vij by 7,277 votes. Congress nominee Parvinder Pal Pari polled just 14,469 votes. Had the party gone with Chitra, she might have secured a seat for the party.
In Badhra assembly segment, Congress nominee and former MLA Somvir Singh, son-in-law of former Haryana chief minister Bansi Lal, lost to BJP’s Umed Pathuwas by 7,585 votes and Congress rebel Somveer Ghasola emerged as the main reason behind his defeat as he got 26,730 votes.
In Hisar’s Barwala, Congress rebel Sanjana Satrod contested as INLD candidate after the party denied her ticket. She got 29,055 votes and due to her strong campaigning, Congress candidate Ramniwas Ghorela lost to deputy speaker Ranbir Gangwa by a margin of 26,942 seats. Gangwa got 66,843 votes and Ghorela polled 39,901 votes.
Congress candidates Rohit Nagar from Tigaon assembly seat and Parag Sharma from Ballabgarh seat lost their security deposit while rebels Lalit Nagar from Tigaon and Sharda Rathore from Ballabgarh secured 56,828 and 44,076 votes respectively and finished second. Ex-MLA Lalit Nagar, a Congress rebel lost to Rajesh Nagar of the BJP by a margin of 37,401 votes while Congress nominee Rohit got 21,656 votes. Former MLA Rathore lost to minister Mool Chand Sharma by 17,730 votes and Congress candidate Parag Sharma got 8,674 votes only. As per experts, Congress could perform better if they had fielded Sharda and Lalit Nagar.
Congress faces defeat on 6 seats in Hooda’s backyard
The Congress performed poorly in former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s stronghold Deswali belt as the party suffered defeat in five out of six seats in Sonepat, and Bahadurgarh in Jhajjar. The Congress candidates tasted defeat in Sonepat, Rai, Kharkhauda, Gohana and Ganaur in Sonepat district.
A former minister and senior Congress leader, requesting anonymity, said there was poor ticket distribution in these six seats and the party fielded incapable candidates in nearly 20 seats.
“The BJP leadership, including its chief minister Nayab Singh Saini, had talked to their rebels and many of them withdrew their candidatue. The Congress leaders in the state made no attempt to pacify the rebels. How could Chitra Sarwara overrule the party by contesting as an Independent from Ambala Cantonment even though her father Nirmal Singh was contesting as a Congress candidate from Ambala city. Why did Deepender Hooda not ask her to take back papers as he approached rebels in Ambala city to take back papers. The Congress workers had asked former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda to pitch fresh faces in Sonepat but he ignored their suggestions,” said the minister.
