Rewari turns ‘akhara’ of Ahir biggies as BJP, Cong intensify campaign

Rewari Assembly constituency has become an ‘akhara’ of star campaigners for both the BJP and the Congress, as the prestige of two Ahir stalwarts — Union Minister Rao Inderjit Singh and national president of Congress OBC Department Capt Ajay Singh Yadav — is at stake here.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and two former Chief Ministers — Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel — would address public meetings of their parties in Rewari in the next two days to spice up the electoral battle.

Their visit is likely to boost the poll campaign and energise party workers in other parts of the Ahirwal region, comprising Rewari, Mahendragarh and Gurugram districts.

Significantly, caretaker Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini addressed a poll meeting here yesterday to seek votes for BJP candidate Laxman Singh Yadav while Rajasthan former Deputy CM Sachin Pilot, Leader of Opposition Teeka Ram Jully, former Bihar Minister Tej Pratap Yadav, former PM Lal Bahadur Shastri’s son Anil Shastri and Bollywood actor-turned-politician Raj Babbar too have carried out poll campaign here in favour of Congress candidate Chiranjeev Rao.

Chiranjeev is the son of Capt Ajay Singh Yadav, a former minister and six-time former MLA from Rewari, while the BJP has made Laxman Yadav its nominee on the recommendation of Rao Inderjit Singh, hence both the leaders are pulling out all sorts to ensure the victory of their candidates.

It seems to be a multi-cornered contest in Rewari as Satish Yadav and Prashant Sunny Yadav, who joined the BJP before the Lok Sabha polls, have jumped into the fray as AAP nominee and Independent, respectively, after being denied the BJP ticket. Intense poll campaigning by all candidates have made the battle of ballot interesting. Several AAP leaders, including Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, have also campaigned for Satish in Rewari.

“Residents of all three Assembly constituencies — Rewari, Bawal and Kosli — ?in the district will participate in the poll rally of Home Minister Amit Shah. His visit will work to ensure victory of the BJP on all three seats. Preparations for the rally have been completed,” claimed Vandna Popli, district president of the BJP.

Meanwhile, Chiranjeev Rao told The Tribune that people in a large number were attending the poll meetings of the Congress’s star campaigners, which was a clear indication that he is going to retain the seat with a comfortable margin.