ASSEMBLY POLL 2024: 130 vie for 4 Gurugram Assembly seats

Tribune News Service

Gurugram, August 18

As Haryana gears up for elections on October 1, as many as 130 applicants eagerly await ticket allocation from the Congress in four Assembly segments in Gurugram. The party has failed to secure a win on any of these in last 10 years but with anti-incumbency riding high in the district, all Congressmen are out to try their luck.

Gurugram has four Assembly segments — Pataudi (SC), Gurgaon, Sohna and Badshahpur. While the former three seats have been held by the BJP since last 10 years, Badshahpur — which was with BJP from 2014 - 2019 — went to Independent candidate Rakesh Daultabad, who is now deceased. From this seat, amongst applicants is Virender Singh, son of ex-MLA Rao Dharampal Singh, who was a Hooda loyalist. Vardhan Yadav is a youth Congress leader, who was in fray for ticket even during the Lok Sabha elections. He is close to Deepender Hooda and one of the few young leaders of the party. Vardhan’s claim to ticket is challenged by Amit Yadav, who is state president of INTUC and actively organised various state-level programmes.

Rao Kamalbir, brother of former minister and BJP leader Rao Narbir, is also seeking a ticket, even though he lost miserably last time. Congress veteran Pradeep Zaildar is also seeking a ticket and belongs to Kumari Selja and Randeep Surjewala camp. Speculations over both Rao Narbir and Rakesh Daultabad’s wife Kumudni being approached by Congress are also rife.

In Pataudi, Hooda loyalist Ranbeer Singh is in fray. After shifting to the BJP, he is now making a ‘ghar wapsi’as is commonly called.

Sudhir Chaudhary, a close associate of Congress president Udai Bhan, is also seeking a ticket after losing twice from the seat. Sunita Verma from Mahila Congress is also in the race.

For Sohna, Hooda loyalist Jitender Bhardwaj, working president of Haryana Congress, is in race along with Manish Khatana, a Gurjar leader from Gurugram and active leader of Youth Congress. Rohtas Bedi, Vasisht Kumar Goyal and Aridaman Singh are other key applicants.

From Gurugram, which is going to be a tough choice for the party, national secretary AICC Ashish Dua is in fray along with Sukhbir Kataria. Kataria, a former MLA, was the party’s choice last year as well but lost miserably. Mohit Madan Grover, who contested as an Independent candidate, has now switched to Congress and is vouching for a ticket.

A former councillor and veteran Gaje Singh Kablana is also in the race along with Nirmala Yadav, district Mahila president.