In Gurgaon, arch-rivals battle it out for fifth time

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Tribune News Service

Badshapur/Gurgaon, May 9

Congress candidate ‘Kaptaan’ Ajay Singh Yadav starts his speech with reference to the 1952 Rewari Assembly election when his father Abhay Singh defeated BJP candidate Rao Inderjit Singh’s father Rao Birender Singh.

Rao Inderjit Singh, who is Minister of State for Planning, Chemicals and Fertilisers in the Modi government, counters, “My father had come back from World War-II and that time, the Congress used to be the only party.” He adds, “Later, Ajay Singh used to win elections with our support. He used to call himself the fourth son of my father.”

Rao Birender Singh was the second Chief Minister of Haryana (1968). They are descendants of the revered king of Ahirwal region Rao Tula Ram.

Capt Ajay claims that the families have clashed four times so far and only once, the Raos have been able to defeat the Yadavs. Sumitra Devi, sister of Rao Birender Singh, on Congress ticket defeated Abhay Singh, who contested on Bhartiya Jan Sangh (BJS) ticket, from Rewari in 1967. He also claims that his father got Rao Birendra Singh dismissed from the Punjab Government in 1961.

The next clash came in 1972 when Abhay Singh defeated Rao Shoe Raj Singh, brother of Rao Birender, from Rewari. “Then, I defeated Rao Ajit Singh, younger brother of Rao Inderjit, in 1989,” he said.

In politics for the past 32 years, Capt Ajay, who is a six-time MLA from Rewari, is now contesting his first Lok Sabha election. On the other hand, four-time MP Rao Inderjit Singh, who is 12 years senior to him in politics, won the last three terms successively. Three wins were on Congress ticket and one as a BJP candidate.

“On May 12, think for a second and decide whether yeh fauji badhiya hai ya yeh farzi raja (this soldier is better or this fake king),” Capt Ajay thunders before the crowd at a public meeting at Ahir-dominated Badshahpur village. 

Former Power Minister in the Hooda government, Capt Ajay had been winning from Rewari since 1989 but in 2014, he came a poor third. 

“It was bad luck. There was a wave against the Congress. Modi had started his Lok Sabha campaign from my constituency. I first resigned over the bias towards our area in terms of jobs and development. Then, I took back the resignation which went against me,” he said.

“Modi factor is not as strong as it was in 2014. It is tough fight, but I have an edge. Even before the ticket was announced, I had toured 700 villages. Rao Inderjit used to get a Muslim candidate to stand from Mewat and used to benefit from polarisation. This time, there is no such scenario,” said Yadav.

Issues that count in this constituency

Clean air, preservation of Aravallis, recharge of ground water and reconstruction of depleted water bodies is on the agenda of BJP’s Rao Inderjit, who had issued a statement against the BJP govt for amending Punjab Land Preservation Act. 

Congress candidate Capt Ajay Singh Yadav promises to start a defence university and  to strengthen the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA). He flays Rao Inderjit for failing to start an Ahir Regiment in the Army.