In Badhra, all eyes on Naina-Ranbir contest

Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Charkhi Dadri, October 18

It is clash between two of the most prominent political dynasties — Devi Lal and Bansi Lal — in the Badhra Assembly segment.

In fact, the clash between Naina Chautala —- granddaughter-in-law of Devi Lal and mother of JJP leader Dushyant Chautala —- and Ranbir Mahendra, son of former chief minister Bansi Lal, in Badhra segment has made the going tough for incumbent BJP MLA Sukhvinder Sheoran.

All three major parties — the BJP, Congress and the JJP — have placed their bets on Jat candidates in the Jat-dominated rural segment as the election of a non-Jat is a remote possibility.

“As of now, it is a neck-and-neck between Naina and Mahendra. As Badhra is known for springing surprises, you cannot write off Sheoran, who was a surprise winner in 2014,” said Satpal of Mehra village.

Naina, the sitting MLA (later disqualified) from Dabwali, shifted to Badhra as the JJP is banking on the Jat vote bank of its parental organisation — the INLD. Another reason for Naina to shift to Badhra is that her husband Ajay Chautala, who is serving a jail term after being convicted in the teachers’ recruitment scam, has been an MP from the erstwhile Bhiwani parliamentary seat (1999) which included Badhra. Ajay still has pockets of influence in the segment.

While Naina may be an “outsider, Mahendra, a former lawmaker, is a son of the soil and has been active in the area for a long time. The former BCCI chief narrowly lost to INLD’s Rahgbir Singh by just 709 votes in the 2009 Assembly poll while in the 2014 poll, he lost by about 5,000 votes to Sheoran. He is banking on anti-incumbency against the local legislator and his “personal connect” with the people.

Sheoran, who was the youngest MLA in 2014 at the age of 29, is banking on developmental works undertaken by him and the BJP’s national narrative in the wake of abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and cadre vote, especially among non-Jats. Transparency in administration and Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s clean image are also being highlighted by him to retain his seat.

However, voters felt that “chaudhar” (supremacy) of either of the two clans is overshadowing the claims of transparency in administration, development and Article 370.

Candidates’ USP

• Cashing in on the legacy of Devi Lal
• Support base among Jats (erstwhile vote bank of INLD)
• Husband Ajay’s influence, a former MP from Bhiwani.

Ranbir Mahendra (Congress)

• Influence of his father Bansi Lal in region.
• being son of the soil, his connect with people.
• Anti-incumbency against sitting BJP MLA.

Sukhvinder Sheoran (BJP)

• Development undertaken in last five years.
• Cadre vote of BJP, especially among non-Jats.
• Transparency in administration, CM’s clean image.