After Bhupinder Hooda, son in fray for 5th time from Rohtak seat
Ravinder Saini
Rohtak, April 26
After former Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda, now his son and Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Hooda is in the fray for the record 5th time from Rohtak parliamentary constituency.
Deepender was formally announced as the Congress nominee from here on Thursday evening. However, he has already been carrying out poll campaign in the constituency.
Out of the five Lok Sabha polls, Bhupinder Hooda had won four times in 1991, 1996, 1998 and 2004 from Rohtak while he faced defeat from greenhorn Capt Inder Singh in 1999 Lok sabha elections due to the Kargil conflict effect.
Besides Rohtak, Bhupinder Hooda also contested previous Lok Sabha poll in 2019 from Sonepat but he could not win it.
Deepender had entered electoral politics in 2005 in a by-election after his father resigned from the post of Rohtak MP on being elevated as Chief Minister. Deepender won this poll at the age of 27 and became the youngest MP of the 14th Lok Sabha.
In 2009, he again emerged victorious with a record margin of 4,45,736 votes and made a hat-trick by winning 2014 Lok Sabha elections but lost 2019 Lok Sabha polls at the hands of BJP candidate Dr Arvind Sharma by a thin margin of 7,503 votes. This would be Deepender’s 5th Lok Sabha election in a row from Rohtak as the Congress candidate.
Earlier, Bhupinder’s father Ch Ranbir Singh too served as MP twice from Rohtak in the first two Lok Sabha elections held in 1952 and 1957.
While talking to mediapersons today, Deepender said people has seen his 19-year-old political career and working style.
“People look for two things in any political person — his work and conduct. People have seen my work and also my conduct. The people of Rohtak will give their blessings on the basis of my work and conduct. I will not let their blessings go waste,” he added.
With the announcement of Deepender’s candidature, Rohtak is set to witness a direct showdown again between two players of previous Lok Sabha elections. The BJP has fielded Dr Arvind Sharma again while the JJP and the INLD are yet to announce their candidates.