From a no-fight to fight: Surjewala factor in Jind

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 13

Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s decision to field the party’s sitting Haryana legislator Randeep Singh Surjewala from Jind can potentially alter the political landscape of Haryana besides recasting state Congress equations.

Surjewala has emerged as the X factor in the Jind bypoll which was easier to call until January 10 with the BJP enjoying a clear edge. But even the BJP leaders privy to Haryana developments now admit that Surjewala’s arrival on the scene has changed the complexion of the fight.

“It’s no longer a one-sided affair. Surjewala’s presence has converted a no-fight into a fight,” a BJP insider said today.

While the BJP is taking heart from the fact that Jind has never been won by a Jat in the past, state Congress chief Ashok Tanwar says Surjewala is beyond caste and will appeal to all sections.

“Randeep Singh Surjewala is a Jat by caste but his appeal cuts across sections,” a veteran Congress leader said, arguing that Surjewala could spoil Jind’s electoral arithmetic with his pan caste appeal which is why Rahul Gandhi agreed to field him when all top Haryana Congress leaders suggested his candidature.

How Surjewala entered the Jind contest is an open secret in the Congress now. Top sources confirmed he was not willing as he was already a sitting MLA. But a phone call from Rahul Gandhi clinched the issue. Gandhi’s argument behind fielding Surjewala was – the Congress must put its best foot forward. Surjewala eventually agreed in deference to his leader.

Even so, the 51-year-old AICC media in charge has nothing to lose in this game.

If he loses, he would still continue to have Kaithal and Congress President’s trust by agreeing to enter a tough competition with a few days left to canvas.

If he wins, he would emerge as the leader of the Haryana Congress as also the state, presenting an alternative to former state Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

The buzz in Congress is that Surjewala is lucky in politics. In the past when Haryana Congress leaders had scuttled the proposals to appoint him Haryana Youth Congress president, Surjewala had gone on to head the Indian Youth Congress.

As of today, a section of the Congress is hopeful of Surjewala pulling off a miracle in Jind which has a substantial Dalit and Jat population.

Among around 1.70 lakh voters here, around 35,000 are SCs, 45,000 Jats and the rest non-Jats. The calculation of BJP, which has fielded a non Jat, is simple – Jat vote will get divided between Surjewala and the two Chautalas and non Jat vote will consolidate behind BJP.

“But that may not happen because Surjewala will appeal to SCs, Jats and even non-Jats,” a Congress functionary said. The fact that state Congress president Ashok Tanwar, a Dalit, is campaigning aggressively for Surjewala, will help.

At the end of the day, Randeep Surjewala may actually emerge stronger from the Jind contest than what his Haryana Congress adversaries had imagined. His strongest point in this battle is – he has nothing to lose.