ASSEMBLY POLL 2024: BJP, Cong eye Indri segment as battle hots up

Tribune News Service

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Karnal, August 29

As the elections for the Haryana Legislative Assembly are round the corner, the Indri Assembly segment has become a battleground for two major political parties, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress (INC).

However, the political parties are yet to declare the tickets, but both parties are working hard to secure victory. The INLD-BSP, JJP and some Independent candidates are also making efforts to taste victory in the elections.

Trend shows BC hold the key

All political parties consider this seat as that of Backward Class (BC). A majority of voters come from the BC communities comprising Kamboj and Kashyap. Arora-Punjabi, Jatt Sikh, Brahmin, Jat, Rajput and other communities have also held the constituency, but the previous trend shows that the BC voters will hold the key. We cannot deny the importance of general category voters as they are also in good number.  — Dr Balram Sharma, head, department of political science, DAV College, Karnal

The data of the seat highlights that the Congress has held the seat four times. The Congress won the seat in 1967, 1968, 1972, and 2005, when its candidates Parsani Devi won for three consecutive times from 1967, while Rakesh Kamboj won the seat in 2005. In 1977, Janata Party’s candidate Des Raj won the seat, while later in 1982 and 1987 Lok Dal candidate Lachman won the seat for two consecutive terms.

In 1991-2000, The Haryana Vikas Party (HVP) and Independent candidates made their mark, with Janki Devi, HVP candidate, winning the seat, while in 1996 and 2000 independent candidate Bhim Sain Mehta won the seat. In 2005, the Congress reclaimed the seat as its candidate Rakesh Kamboj, son of former MLA Des Raj, won the seat. However, later he joined the HJC in 2008 but due to anti-defection law he was

disqualified. Later, he contested the byelection on the ticket of the HJC and lost. Congress candidate Bhim Sain Mehta won the byelection. In the 2009 elections, INLD candidate Dr Ashok Kashyap won the seat.

The BJP won the battle in 2014 with its candidate Karan Dev Kamboj securing victory, marking the first victory from the seat. It was followed by another BJP victory in 2019, with Ram Kumar Kashyap securing victory by a margin of 7,431 votes. Kashyap got 54,221 votes while Independent candidate Rakesh Kamboj got 46,790 votes. Congress candidate Dr Navjot Kashyap remained at third place with 16,776 votes.

Political experts consider it to be a face-to-face contest between the BJP and the Congress. The caste factor will play a crucial role as the constituency has maximum voters of the Backward Classes (BCs).

“All political parties consider this seat as that of Backward Class (BC). A majority of voters come from the BC communities comprising Kamboj and Kashyap. Arora-Punjabi, Jatt Sikh, Brahmin, Jat, Rajput and other communities have also held the constituency, but the previous trend shows that the BC voters will hold the key. We cannot deny the importance of general category voters as they are also in good number,” said Dr Balram Sharma, Assistant Professor and head, department of political science, DAV College, Karnal.