Haryana Rajya Sabha nominations reflect BJP’s evolving political strategy

The BJP’s strategy for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Haryana appears to signal a shift in the state’s political landscape, with the party sidelining prominent political dynasts in favour of its own organisational leaders.

The development comes as nominations were filed on Thursday for two Rajya Sabha seats from Haryana that will fall vacant in April. A total of three candidates are in the fray — Sanjay Bhatia of the BJP, Karamvir Singh Baudh of the Congress and Satish Nandal, who is contesting as an Independent but is linked to the BJP.

The BJP’s decision to nominate former Karnal MP Sanjay Bhatia effectively left out senior leaders Kiran Choudhry and Kuldeep Bishnoi, both of whom were reportedly seeking the party ticket.

Sources said the party leadership preferred to back a leader from its own cadre rather than accommodate political heavyweights associated with established political families.

The two Rajya Sabha seats are falling vacant after the completion of the terms of Kiran Choudhry and Ram Chander Jangra. Choudhry had entered the Upper House in a mid-term election following the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, when the then Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Hooda was elected to the Lok Sabha from Rohtak.

According to party insiders, the BJP’s move indicates that the leadership is keen to consolidate its organisation by promoting loyal party workers rather than relying on leaders with strong family-based political legacies.

Kuldeep Bishnoi, who joined the BJP in 2022 after cross-voting in favour of the party while he was a Congress MLA from the Adampur Assembly seat, was also considered an aspirant for the Rajya Sabha ticket. However, the party leadership eventually opted for Bhatia.

Bishnoi has largely remained on the political sidelines after his son Bhavya Bishnoi lost the Assembly election from the family stronghold of Adampur while contesting on a BJP ticket in the previous Haryana Assembly polls.

Political observers believe the development reflects the BJP’s broader strategy of reshaping Haryana’s political equations.

Prof ML Goyal, a retired professor of political science, said the BJP’s political approach has often been pragmatic and assertive.

“Obviously, Choudhry and Bishnoi were not in the scheme of things of the politics for the BJP at this moment. When the party needed them, they were used like Dushyant Chautala of the JJP was utilised after the 2019 Assembly poll when the BJP fell short of the majority mark,” he said.

“What happened with Dushyant Chautala is not a secret as he too is striving hard for return to political relevance in Haryana now after he was suddenly dumped by the BJP just before the Lok Sabha polls in 2024,” he added.

According to Goyal, the BJP’s calculated political strategy has gradually unsettled the tradition of dynastic politics in Haryana.