To retain Rewari seat, Congress ropes in political heavyweights to woo voters
The importance of the constituency can be gauged from the fact that in 2019 assembly polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had addressed a large public rally in favour of the BJP candidate, while the Congress is working hard to rope in Rahul Gandhi to campaign for party nominee Chiranjiv Rao for this election
Gurugram: To retain the Rewari assembly constituency, which the Congress won in 2019, the party has sought help from senior leaders from within the state and outside it to woo voters since this constituency is considered to be the political centre of south Haryana. In the last few decades, due to economic growth and urbanisation, Gurgaon and Badshahpur have gained considerable importance but Rewari being home to two political heavyweights of south Haryana -- Rao Inderjit Singh and Captain (Retd) Ajay Singh Yadav is still considered to be the political epicentre of a part of the state.
Congress candidate Chiranjeev Rao at an election meeting in Rewari on Tuesday. (PARVEEN KUMAR/HT PHOTO)
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The importance of the constituency can be gauged from the fact that in 2019 assembly polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had addressed a large public rally in favour of the BJP candidate, while the Congress is working hard to rope in Rahul Gandhi to campaign for party nominee Chiranjiv Rao for this election. A senior Congress member said that Rahul Gandhi is likely to hold a rally in Rewari on Thursday, but the schedule is still not confirmed.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Congress candidate Chiranjiv Rao addressed public meetings in Balavas Jamapur, Bhudla, Dhingra Garden, Adarsh Nagar, Sati Mata Chowk, Banjarwada in Rewari and urged the people to vote for Congress as its victory will ensure the end of BJP rule, which has failed to bring any development to the state. “The entire state of Haryana is going to vote for change, including Rewari, and the importance of this constituency can be gauged by the fact that top leaders from Haryana and neighbouring Rajasthan have come to campaign for your candidate. If you have faith in me, I am sure the party is going to give Rewari a bigger role in the government,” said Rao.
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The Rewari assembly constituency has 2.53 lakh voters and it will have a four cornered contest with BJP fielding Laxman Singh, AAP fielding Satish Yadav, and Sunny Yadav contesting the polls as an independent.
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The Rewari assembly constituency has 2.53 lakh voters and it will have a four cornered contest with BJP fielding Laxman Singh, AAP fielding Satish Yadav, and Sunny Yadav contesting the polls as an independent.
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In an attempt to woo voters in Rewari, the Congress has brought in former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, his son and Lok Sabha MP Deepender Hooda, former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Bhagel, former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gahlot, and leader of the opposition in Rajasthan Tika Ram Juli to campaign for Rao.
“The Rewari assembly seat is the heart south Haryana politics and the Congress understands the importance of retaining this constituency. We had won it in 2019 even during the Modi wave and now the battle is comparatively easier as the wind is blowing in favour of the Congress. However, we are working hard on the ground to ensure the party’s victory,” said Captain (Retd) Ajay Singh Yadav, who has won the Rewari assembly seat six times in the past.
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Addressing a public meeting in Rewari on Monday, former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot said that the countdown for the BJP government began in Haryana when it lost five Lok Sabha seats in the general elections. “The people of Rewari must vote for Congress and ensure victory of Chiranjiv Rao on this seat,” he said.
Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari while addressing the meeting said that the people of Rewari must oust the BJP for failing the cause of the farmers, soldiers and people from economically weaker sections. “The time has come to defeat the BJP and bring back an inclusive government,” he said.
Former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Bhagel, who visited Rewari last week said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had held his first election rally in Rewari in 2014, during which he had promised one rank, one pension to armed forces personnel. “The promise made by the PM is still not fulfilled and armed forces personnel are still waiting for the same,” he had said then.
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Senior Congress leader from Rajasthan, Tika Ram Juli, in his address had said that despite changing the chief minister and government decisions, the BJP failed to win any favour with the people of Haryana. “The election is for change in Haryana and the Congress will form the government,” he said.
Senior Congress leaders, who have campaigned in Rewari have not only attacked the BJP and its policies but they have also obliquely indicated that the Congress is likely to give Chiranjiv Rao, a bigger responsibility, if he wins in the constituency. “The Congress has promised development in Rewari but it is also promising that the party candidate could get a ministerial berth, if the party forms the government. The supporters of the party are getting enthused by these promises. Also, the anti-incumbency against the ruling party is working as a factor in boosting the morale of the opposition,” said Deepak Kumar, a resident of the city.
Abhishek Behl is a Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times, Gurugram bureau. With over a decade of experience in journalism, he reports on Gurugram's rapid urban transformation, covering the city's changing infrastructure, governance, and planning landscape. His reporting spans major civic agencies, such as the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP), Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP), and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
Behl has reported on key urban development issues such as RRTS projects, metro expansion, road and highway projects, water supply, drainage, mobility, environmental concerns, land use planning, affordable housing, and the city's real estate sector. He closely tracks policy decisions, infrastructure implementation, and their impact on the city and its residents. He also covers regulatory action against illegal constructions, urban flooding, traffic management, and initiatives aimed at improving civic services and sustainable development.
Behl has also written on political developments in south Haryana, focusing on elections and governance. His journalism is driven by fact-based reporting, ground-level coverage, and an understanding of the social and economic dynamics of Gurugram.
Apart from work he is a cyclist and a cricketer and a resident of Palam Vihar since 2010.
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest.
Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents.
Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure.
Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing.
Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity.
Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations.
Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling.
A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.
