MLA retains connect with voters in Jagadhri

There were five Assembly segments in Yamunanagar district. The Chhachhrauli Assembly segment was abolished in delimitation exercise and most of the area of this segment was merged in the Jagadhri constituency. Therefore, the Assembly election of 2009 was fought in four Assembly segments — Jagadhri, Yamunanagar, Sadhaura and Radaur.

Jagadhri Assembly constituency is represented by BJP MLA and Haryana Assembly Speaker Kanwar Pal Gujjar.

This segment has also been the stronghold of the Congress and the BSP. But in the changed political scenario, the voters of urban areas (over 40 per cent of total votes of the constituency) living in Jagadhri, Chhachhrauli and Pratap Nagar towns play an important role in the win of a candidate as the majority of them are Hindus.

Though Akram Khan of the Congress (who won the Assembly election on BSP ticket from here in 2009) enjoys the support of voters belonging to all communities, he will have to make extra efforts to reach the Haryana Assembly this time. There are about 27,000 Muslim voters in this constituency.

Present MLA Kanwar Pal Gujjar has undertaken a number of development works in his segment. The BJP’s fortunes are on the rise and there is no anti-incumbency factor here.

Kapil Manish Garg, BJP media in-charge, Chhachhrauli block, said that with the efforts of the Speaker, development works of Rs 1,072 crore had been done in this Assembly segment in the past over four-and-a-half years.

The BKD (Buria-Khadri-Devdhar) road is considered to be the backbone of this segment but it was constructed very late. This road connects as many as 40 villages of this constituency and the villagers had a bumpy ride for months as it was in a very bad state.

People are also disappointed at the failure to stop the plying of overloaded vehicles and illegal mining in Yamunanagar district allegedly going on under the patronage of some leaders of the ruling party.

“Accidents are taking place everyday due to overloaded vehicles carrying mining material. But no one is attempting to solve this problem,” says Amarnath, a resident of Jagadhri.

Besides the Narendra Modi factor, Kanwar Pal Gujjar is quite popular among voters as Jagadhri is the lone Assembly segment in Yamunanagar district where open darbars (khula darbar) are being organised since January 2015 to address public grievances on the spot.

A large number of people turn up in such darbars, which are likely to be instrumental in the BJP retaining the seat.

Social worker Nischal Chaudhry of Bahadarpur village says that organising open darbar is a good initiative as it helps in redressing the grievances of people, besides reducing the gap between a VIP and a common man.

Sanjeev Chaudhry, president of Stone Crusher Owners Association, says, “The Speaker has covered all villages and colonies of urban areas several times holding public meetings. He has even established personal contact with most of the families of his Assembly segment. It will pave the way for him to enter the Haryana Assembly again in the coming Assembly elections.”

Jagadhri town, known for its metal industry worldwide, has not witnessed expected development. The condition of link roads is so bad that potholes filled with mud can be seen in a number of areas. The sanitation of the town has not improved and heaps of garbage can be seen everywhere.

“I think Jagadhri town has lagged in development as no government has seriously tried to work for its development,” says Sushil Kumar of Saraswati Nagar, Jagadhri.

Joginder Singh of Devdhar village says, “The Speaker is the leader of the common man. He doesn’t maintain distance from any person. Even poor people can meet him without any hesitation. This quality will pay him well in the Assembly elections.”

Total voters 2,13,097 

(1,14,139 males | 98,957 females)

Sitting MLA: Kanwar Pal Gujjar, BJP

Likely contenders: Kanwar Pal Gujjar (BJP); Adarsh Pal Gurjar (BSP); Akram Khan, Subhash Chaudhry, Shyam Sunder Batra and Darshan Lal Khera from Congress.

Long-awaited demands

• Demand of a medical college in Jagadhri town
• Road with divider from Jagadhri bus stand to Kalanaur village (Yamunanagar)
• Establishment of research institute for metal industry in Jagadhri town
• Four-laning of Jagadhri-Paonta Sahib national highway

Legislatorspeak 

}My constituency has witnessed tremendous development works in the past four-and-a-half years. Therefore, we will contest the elections on the issue of development. —  Kanwar Pal Gujjar, Jagadhri MLA

Oppositionspeak 

When I became MLA in 2009, I focused on development works and providing jobs to unemployed youths. I am hopeful people will support me in the Assembly elections and I will do more development works. — Akram Khan, Congress