Jindals reluctant to contest from Hisar

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Hisar, September 28

The Jindal family, which has dominated the electoral politics in Hisar for about three decades, is reportedly reluctant to fight the elections from the Hisar Assembly constituency this time. This has forced the Congress to look for another suitable candidate for the segment.

Sources close to Jindal House said that the family members were divided on contesting the Assembly elections from Hisar. “Though former state minister Savitri Jindal is a strong contender for the Congress ticket, her family members are reluctant to let her join the electoral fray,” they added.

If she opts out, it will be a setback for the Congress in the state, as she has been a prominent face, especially among the Bania community. Earlier, her son and former Congress MP from Kurukshetra Naveen Jindal, who is the chairperson of Jindal Steel Power Limited (JSPL), too had opted out of the last Lok Sabha elections reportedly after a collective decision of the family.

Jindal patriarch Om Prakash Jindal had joined politics in 1991 when he was elected MLA on the Haryana Vikas Party ticket. He was close to former Chief Minister Bansi Lal. Jindal represented this segment thrice and died in a chopper crash in 2005 when he was a minister in Hooda’s government.

Asked about the reasons behind the reluctance of the family to fight the elections this time, the sources said that the overall slump in the steel market has had its impact on the business of Jindals as well. “Besides, the coal scam case, which is being heard in the Supreme Court, is keeping the Jindals, especially Naveen Jindal, too busy in court matters. Though they will stay in the Congress and remain active as well, they are reluctant to contest elections for the time being,” they added. A key member of the Jindal family is also close to the BJP leadership and is also playing a role in decision making.

Politics of Jindal House 

• Om Prakash Jindal became MLA for the first time in 1991 on the ticket of the Haryana Vikas Party 
• He joined the Congress and won the elections in 2000 and 2005; he  remained a minister in the Hooda’s government for 25 days 
• He died in a helicopter crash on March 31, 2005 
• His wife Savitri Jindal later represented Hisar in 2005 and 2009; served as a minister in Congress government 
• Her son Naveen represented Kurukshetra in the Lok Sabha twice