Haryana elections: Women candidates face-off in Ambala prestige battle between Congress, BJP
This is also the first time in the electoral history of Mulana assembly segment that both BJP and Congress have fielded woman candidates.
When Santosh Chauhan Sarwan won her first assembly polls in 1991, Pooja Chaudhary was just five. Now, a little over three decades later, the two women are locked in an electoral battle from the Mulana assembly seat after the two major political parties — the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress — fielded them from the SC-reserved seat in Ambala district.
This is also the first time in the electoral history of Mulana assembly segment that both BJP and Congress have fielded woman candidates. Though a total of 10 candidates are in the poll fray in Mulana, locals say the main contest is between Sarwan (69) of the BJP and Chaudhary (38) of the Congress.
Veteran vs newcomer
A seasoned politician, Sarwan had won the Mulana assembly seat in 2014, becoming the first woman to do so. She had won from Dabwali constituency on a Congress ticket in 1991 when she was only 36. She, however, slipped into political oblivion before re-entering the electoral arena a decade ago on the BJP ticket.
Her challenger Pooja, though a first-time contender, comes from the prominent Chaudhary family and her husband, Varun Chaudhary, is the incumbent Lok Sabha MP from Ambala. Varun had won the Mulana assembly seat in the 2019 state polls, but vacated the seat after becoming a parliamentarian this summer.
The Mulana assembly constituency has remained a stronghold of the Chaudhary family, with Varun’s father Phool Chand Mullana first winning the seat in 1972 and later in 1982, 1991 and 2005.
{{/usCountry}}The Mulana assembly constituency has remained a stronghold of the Chaudhary family, with Varun’s father Phool Chand Mullana first winning the seat in 1972 and later in 1982, 1991 and 2005.
{{/usCountry}}Pensioner vs business owner
{{/usCountry}}Pensioner vs business owner
{{/usCountry}}In their poll affidavits, Sarwan has described herself as a pensioner while Pooja cited her primary occupation as a petrol-pump owner. Sarwan, an arts graduate, possesses movable and immovable assets worth over ₹10 crore and also owns a pistol worth ₹25,000. Pooja, a law graduate, owns assets worth ₹20 crore, including agricultural land, residential and inherited properties.
{{/usCountry}}In their poll affidavits, Sarwan has described herself as a pensioner while Pooja cited her primary occupation as a petrol-pump owner. Sarwan, an arts graduate, possesses movable and immovable assets worth over ₹10 crore and also owns a pistol worth ₹25,000. Pooja, a law graduate, owns assets worth ₹20 crore, including agricultural land, residential and inherited properties.
{{/usCountry}}Battle on the ground
{{/usCountry}}Battle on the ground
{{/usCountry}}Popularly referred to as Buaji (paternal aunt), two-time MLA Sarwan points to the foundation stone of the community centre with her name engraved on it during a gathering at Chapra village. “I don’t want to recount what I did for people as the MLA here, but I will surely promise that development will continue to remain on top of my agenda,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}Popularly referred to as Buaji (paternal aunt), two-time MLA Sarwan points to the foundation stone of the community centre with her name engraved on it during a gathering at Chapra village. “I don’t want to recount what I did for people as the MLA here, but I will surely promise that development will continue to remain on top of my agenda,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}When asked about her rival, she described the Chaudhary family as “political dynasts”. “Woh log satta ke bhukhe hain (That family is hungry for power),” Sarwan said. “People elected him (Varun Chaudhary) as an MLA in 2019. He betrayed them in his hunger for more power. Now he brings his wife in his place to contest. He never spent a paisa from his fund for development. They are here only to loot and expand their wealth.”
A few kilometres away at Tamnoli village, Pooja Chaudhary accused the Narendra Modi government at the Centre of ignoring women’s safety and spoke about the concern of youngsters in the country. “Students are disappointed due to paper leaks. The future of lakhs of students is at stake. There is rampant corruption, there are schools but no teachers,” she said.
As Varun entered the venue, Pooja hastily concluded her address that did not mention any local issue. “The BJP started the Agniveer scheme, but has it benefitted anyone? They have only cheated youngsters and created unemployment,” Varun alleged while delivering a fiery speech from the dais.
When the voters in Mulana will turn up at polling booths on October 5, issues such as waterlogging caused by poor drainage, unemployment, growing drug menace and women’s safety will still be in the back of their minds.