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Political alphabets of Haryana

On 1 November 1966, the state of Haryana got defamed due to frequent defections. Had anti-defection law not been in existence, instability would have marred Haryana resulting in chaos after every six months. An MLA elected from Pataudi, Gaya Lal, got defected during late 60s four times in a day. The incident framed the  saying, Aya Ram Gaya Ram, which eventually spread all across the country.

Detractors exist even today in Haryana while chief minister, Bhupender Singh Hooda, still remains unmoved. But the most interesting fact is that the detractors are from the clan of the tallest leaders of the yesteryears. Haryana has always remained a level field for the clans of the top political leaders. Some major political parties, Congress and INLD, and the present and defunct/merged regional parties like Vishal Haryana Party of Rao Birender Singh, Haryana Vikas party of Bansi Lal and Haryana Janhit Congress of Bhajan Lal are also included in the list.

The second term chief minister, Hooda, son of a well known freedom fighter and member of the Constituent Assembly entered the Lok Sabha from Rohtak in 1991 by defeating a strong Jat leader and former chief minister Devi Lal in 1996. This was totally eclipsed the aura of Devi Lal. The Rohtak seat, in the Lok Sabha, is now being represented by Hooda’s son, a technocrat Deepender Singh Hooda. Hooda was able to muster majority by luring certain newly elected MLAs in 2009 to start his second term. Looking at the way Hooda is reinforcing the publicity of the government shows that he would strive hard to return to power third time in a row.

His second term has not been as smooth as the first one but he still holds clout in the party high command as the party chief. It is generally reported that Hooda, at the age of 66, had prevented
re-induction of a Lok Sabha member from Gurgaon, south Haryana, Rao Inderjit Singh in 2009 and induction of a Rajya Sabha member from Haryana, Chaudhry Birender Singh in to the Union Cabinet recently. Both Inderjit and Birender have individually opened a slanderous campaign against the chief minister.

The third detractor is union cabinet minister, Kumari Selja.  The three learnt alphabets of politics from their fathers. The fourth clan, who has been gathering courage to open a front against Hooda, is Bansi Lal’s daughter-in law and a minister in Haryana government, Kiran Chaudhry along with her daughter Shruti, Lok Sabha member from Bhiwani. Gurgaon MP, Rao Inderjit Singh, has been criticising Hooda due to his alleged partisan attitude towards southern Haryana’s development. Inderjit , son of  the second  chief minister and  the then master in encouraging defection in the state, founder of Vishal Haryana Party and the royal scion of Ahirwal, late Rao Birender Singh, is a three term MLA and three term Lok Sabha member and an MOS in Haryana and union governments.
He has also been attacking Hooda on various development al issues and the issues generated by an IAS officer, Ashok Khemka, about alleged land acquisitions.

Inderjit has been envy to developments taking place in three districts of Rohtak, Sonepat and Jhajhar, once part of the Rohtak district.  Inderjit, 63, is now a vocal critic of Hooda and has been organising rallies in southern Haryana. His daughter has set up an apolitical forum called Haryana Insaf Manch, likely to be converted into a regional political party at an appropriate time.  He would also have an option of reviving his father’s Vishal Haryana Party merged by late Rao into the Congress. It is not yet certain whether Inderjit would be able to make his party as powerful as it was during his father’s time. Birender Singh is aspiring for the post of the chief minister right from the days of Bansi Lal and Bhajan Lal.

A former minister in Haryana government, five term MLA, one time Lok Sabha member and presently a Rajya Sabha member and grandson of Choudhry Chhotu Ram, Birender Singh had been in Tiwari Congress, HPCC president and AICC  general secretary is angry because of being blocked a cabinet berth by Hooda.  He organised a rally on  20 August at Jind to display his strength which was attended by Kumari Selja and a Lok Sabha member Shruti Chaudhry, grand daughter of Bansi Lal. Kumari Selja, daughter of late Dalbir Singh, the then deputy minister, during Indira government, had not been pulling on well with Hooda for the last so many years.

His presence at Jind rally has given strength to the  dissidents. Selja, 51, has been in the good books of the Congress president.  Presently a cabinet minister, Selja represented Sirsa twice and Ambala in Lok Sabha. She may emerge an alternative in the state, in case the party likes to go for a Dalit face. Anyhow, the three detractors together would not become a force to reckon with.

The author is a communication professional
    
    
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