By Sanjeev Kochhar Times News Network
Kaithal: The marketplace in this semi-urban town is abuzz with political activity. Vehicles with flags of the ruling INLD and Congress whiz past with blaring hooters.
A host of party leaders have decided to descend on the constituency on the same day. Randeep Surjewala, the youth face of Congress in the state, is here to use his diplomatic skills to remove hurdles in father Shamsher Singh Surjewala’s path, who is being considered an outsider in the constituency.
Ajay Chautala, elder son of chief minister Om Prakash Chautala and party secretary general, is visiting the constituency to garner support for party’s fresh face Kailash Bhagat. Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh is touring the area to give a fillip to the electoral prospects of BJP candidate Ravi Bhushan Garg.
All three candidates have been chosen keeping the caste factor in mind. In a constituency with voter strength of over 1.27 lakh, there are an estimated 20,000 Jats, 14,000 Punjabis, 11,000 Aggarwala, 11,000 Brahmins and Gujjars, besides 27,000 to 28,000 backward classes and others.
Shamsher Singh Surjewala, a four time. MLA from Narwana and a senior minister, is a Jat. The INLD candidate belongs to the Punjabi community and the BJP man is an Aggarwal. Surjewala has tones of experience behind him, but he appears to be depending heavily on Randeep to deal with opposition to his candidature from at least half a dozen other aspirants.
When Randeep came calling on Friday. He was able to persuade various opposing groups to show solidarity for his father by organizing individual meetings of select workers in his presence and in the presence of his father. Though an upbeat Surjewala camp appeared confident of a resounding victory, the electorate did not appear too confident of unity within its ranks.
Sensing the rising unpopularity of its sitting MLA Mula Ram, a Gujjar, the INLD has fielded rice exporter Kailash Bhagat from the Punjabi community, a well-known personality who is into managing the affairs of religious and educational institutions in a big way.
The BJP, which is contesting on the seat after a gap of 14 years, has put up principal of a reputed school, S S Bal Sadan Senior Secondary School.
While the INLD and the BJP are exploiting the issue of Surjewala being an outsider, the Congress camp is highlighting the alleged reign of terror and extortion let loose by goons of the Chautala clan and the slow pace of development in the constituency.
Devi Dayal, president of the New Grain Market Association in Kaithal, one of the busiest grain markets in the state, talked about the total neglect of the mandi by the government despite several representations.
However, in Keorak, the biggest village in the constituency with a population of over 14,500, the dominant Gujjar community appeared to have no complaints on the development front. Ramesh and Radhe Ram, both Gujjar farmers playing cards along with others in a corner in the village, said a new power station and an overhead water tank has been installed in the village and a few hundred youth had been recruited as policemen and teachers. “We have no complaint against the government,” they said, satisfied.
Kaithal: The marketplace in this semi-urban town is abuzz with political activity. Vehicles with flags of the ruling INLD and Congress whiz past with blaring hooters.
A host of party leaders have decided to descend on the constituency on the same day. Randeep Surjewala, the youth face of Congress in the state, is here to use his diplomatic skills to remove hurdles in father Shamsher Singh Surjewala’s path, who is being considered an outsider in the constituency.
Ajay Chautala, elder son of chief minister Om Prakash Chautala and party secretary general, is visiting the constituency to garner support for party’s fresh face Kailash Bhagat. Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh is touring the area to give a fillip to the electoral prospects of BJP candidate Ravi Bhushan Garg.
All three candidates have been chosen keeping the caste factor in mind. In a constituency with voter strength of over 1.27 lakh, there are an estimated 20,000 Jats, 14,000 Punjabis, 11,000 Aggarwala, 11,000 Brahmins and Gujjars, besides 27,000 to 28,000 backward classes and others.
Shamsher Singh Surjewala, a four time. MLA from Narwana and a senior minister, is a Jat. The INLD candidate belongs to the Punjabi community and the BJP man is an Aggarwal. Surjewala has tones of experience behind him, but he appears to be depending heavily on Randeep to deal with opposition to his candidature from at least half a dozen other aspirants.
When Randeep came calling on Friday. He was able to persuade various opposing groups to show solidarity for his father by organizing individual meetings of select workers in his presence and in the presence of his father. Though an upbeat Surjewala camp appeared confident of a resounding victory, the electorate did not appear too confident of unity within its ranks.
Sensing the rising unpopularity of its sitting MLA Mula Ram, a Gujjar, the INLD has fielded rice exporter Kailash Bhagat from the Punjabi community, a well-known personality who is into managing the affairs of religious and educational institutions in a big way.
The BJP, which is contesting on the seat after a gap of 14 years, has put up principal of a reputed school, S S Bal Sadan Senior Secondary School.
While the INLD and the BJP are exploiting the issue of Surjewala being an outsider, the Congress camp is highlighting the alleged reign of terror and extortion let loose by goons of the Chautala clan and the slow pace of development in the constituency.
Devi Dayal, president of the New Grain Market Association in Kaithal, one of the busiest grain markets in the state, talked about the total neglect of the mandi by the government despite several representations.
However, in Keorak, the biggest village in the constituency with a population of over 14,500, the dominant Gujjar community appeared to have no complaints on the development front. Ramesh and Radhe Ram, both Gujjar farmers playing cards along with others in a corner in the village, said a new power station and an overhead water tank has been installed in the village and a few hundred youth had been recruited as policemen and teachers. “We have no complaint against the government,” they said, satisfied.
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