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Haryana: Seasoned politicians set for bitter fight in the land of jumbo jalebis
This Jat-dominated seat has been a Congress stronghold since 2005; Both Malik and Sharma had initially faced protests from their party workers and leaders within their constituency
In Gohana, a constituency famous for Mathu Ram’s sweet ‘jalebis,’ a bitter fight is unfolding between two seasoned politicians: five-term MLA Jagbir Singh Malik of the Congress and four-time Member of Parliament (MP) Arvind Sharma of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Two Independents, Rajvir Singh Dahiya and social media influencer Harsh Chikara, seem to be spoiling the broth for them, with both having potential to cut their votes.
Both Malik and Sharma had initially faced protests from their party workers and leaders within their constituency. While Congress workers were against Malik’s candidature in view of his old age and “non-performance”, Sharma’s detractors within the saffron party felt his outsider status may cost the party the seat.
Incidentally, both leaders started out their political careers at the same time with Sharma winning his first election in 1996 as an Independent from Sonepat Lok Sabha seat and Malik becoming the Gohana MLA on a Haryana Vikas Party ticket the same year.
When Bansi Lal merged his party into the Congress, Malik followed his lead. He won his second election in 2008 bypoll when sitting MLA Dharampal Singh Malik resigned and joined former Haryana chief minister Bhajan Lal’s Haryana Janhit Congress. Malik also secured victories in 2009, 2014 and 2019 assembly polls.
Sharma, a surgeon by profession, and a Brahmin, has won four Lok Sabha polls -- twice from Karnal in 2004 and 2009 as a Congress candidate, as an Independent from Sonepat in 1996 and on a BJP ticket from Rohtak in 2019. He never won any assembly election.
The other two independents- Rajvir Singh Dahiya and Harsh Chikara, are known for philanthropic activities but the main contest is ensuing between the Congress and BJP.
Malik backs on Hooda charisma, Sharma on caste equations
Gohana, a Jat-dominated seat, has been a Congress stronghold since 2005. Malik, it’s sitting MLA, is banking on former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s charisma, who holds influence in Deswali belt, to win him the election. This is evident in his election speeches.
“You are voting not just to elect me but to choose Bhupinder Singh Hooda as the next chief minister,” he was heard telling people in his address at Khanpur Kalan village.
He also hit out at the BJP in the same breath. “People of Haryana are suffering due to the BJP’s portal system. Congress comes to power, we will scrap the system. Farmers have been sitting on dharna to get crop compensation for the last one-and-a-half-years and it was not released despite being assured by former deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala on the floor of the house. We will fill the posts of doctors and other medical staff at the Bhagat Phool Singh medical college for women at Khanpur Kalan.”
Sharma, meanwhile, is hoping the caste equations will work in his favour. The Gohana assembly segment is dominated by Jat voters, followed by other backward classes (OBCs) and Brahmins.
Sharma said that he will fulfil peoples’ demand to make Gohana a district, if he wins the assembly poll.
“Our government has given jobs in a transparent manner and we are committed to fulfil our election manifesto. We have empowered women, sportspersons and youths. The sitting MLA Malik has done nothing in the last 16 years as MLA and people want to get rid of his arrogance. There is no question of me an outsider as I have represented Sonepat Lok Sabha once,” he added.
Sentiment on ground
Aman Bhanwala, a voter from Kasandi village, says they are unhappy with the shifting of the railway coach factory to Prime Minister’s constituency Varanasi.
“Former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda had promised to set up a railway coach factory here, which was shifted to Varanasi by the BJP government. This factory would have created jobs but this government played with youths,” he added.
Rahul Saini, a shopkeeper, said that the law-and-order situation has collapsed in the city and criminals had fired shots outside an eatery earlier this year and they demanded ransom.
“The local MLA Malik has failed to fulfil his duty. People want to bring Congress into power but we are fed up with the sitting MLA. Roads are in a dilapidated condition. We have to pay money for all our official work and the government failed to stop corruption. Our long demand to make Gohana as a district is yet to be completed,” he added.
Delhi-based political commentator Pradeep Dabas says it will be a close contest with both leaders facing internal bickering.
“People of Gohana are upset over the functioning of sitting MLA Jagbir Singh Malik but his fate is dependent on former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda. Arvind Sharma of the BJP is giving a tough fight as he is banking on OBCs and Brahmin community voters,” he added.
