Sukhbir Kataria is Cong pick for Gurugram
Gurugram: Congress on Thursday appointed Sukhbir Kataria as the nominee from Gurugram's seat. Kataria had won this seat in 2009 as an independent candidate. He later joined the Hooda cabinet as the Sports Minister and since then he is believed to be close to the former Chief Minister. In a major relief for the former MLA in May this year a Gurugram court has set aside criminal charges against him. Kataria was accused of indulging in bogus voting and creating fake voter identity cards to allegedly influence the elections in 2009.
Attacking BJP, Kataria said, "The BJP has not performed work and is involved wonder. Now to shrug off their responsibilities they are not giving tickets to the members and denying tickets."
Speaking of his vision for Gurugram Kataria said, "Due to poor policies of the government Gurugram has become one of the most polluted cities in the world. Even the posh areas in the city you can see potholed roads. The deterioration of the city is due to the corruption."
In an interesting move by the Congress, the younger brother of Rao Narbir Singh Kamal Yadav has been appointed as the nominee. His elder brother Rao Narbir who is the senior minister in BJP was denied ticket this time in these elections. In Pataudi, Congress has fielded Sudhir Chaudhury while in Sohna the party has fielded Shamsudin. Both of them had represented the party even in 2014. Gurugram has been a stronghold of Congress party that has won this seat for six out of twelve times the assembly elections have been held in the city.
Interestingly in the first elections that were held in Gurgaon then in 1967 was won by a candidate from Jan Sangh, a political organization that ultimately gave way to BJP, a party which was formed in 1980. Thakran defeated his rival Kanhaiya Lal from Congress.
In the coming years, the grand old party of India was able to win the Gurugon seat in the years 1968, 1972,1982,1991, 1996 and 2005. Dharambir Gaba and Rao Mahabeer Singh are the two most successful leaders from Congress. While Gaba has won the Gurugram seat four times Rao Mahabeer has won the seat two times.
