Rohtak set for keen poll battle between Cong, BJP
The upcoming civic body polls will be the third electoral test in the past over nine months for the main political parties, especially the Congress, as Rohtak is a region considered to be a stronghold of two-time Chief Minister and party stalwart Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The polling for elections is scheduled on Sunday, while results will be declared on March 12.
In the previous two elections, the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls, the Congress successfully secured the Rohtak seat, reinforcing its dominance in the region, which is also considered as the political capital of Haryana due to its vibrant political landscape.
The Congress wrested the Rohtak Lok Sabha seat from the BJP in May last year, with Hooda’s son, Deepender Hooda, winning by a thumping margin of over 3.45 lakh votes. Five months later, in the October Vidhan Sabha elections, the contest for the Rohtak seat was closer, with the Congress nominee Bharat Bhushan Batra retaining the seat by a narrow margin of 1,341 votes from former Cooperation Minister and senior BJP leader Manish Kumar Grover.
The Congress managed to win all four seats in Rohtak district in the recent Assembly elections. The battle for the mayoral post seems to be a tough contest between the Congress and the BJP. However, Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Deepender Hooda campaigned for the Congress candidate Surajmal Kiloi.
In the previous civic body elections, BJP's Manmohan Goyal won the mayoral election by a comfortable margin. This time, the post is reserved for the Scheduled Caste (SC) candidate. The BJP has fielded its SC cell national vice president Ram Avtar Valmiki. Besides the Congress and the BJP, three other candidates are trying their luck in the electoral battle.
"Despite winning the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in Rohtak, the mayoral elections are not a cakewalk for the Congress. The BJP, having recently formed the government for the third consecutive time in the state, has mobilised its workers. Besides, local leaders, cabinet ministers and even Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini have also actively campaigned in Rohtak in support their party's candidates," said Dr Satish Tyagi, a political commentator and author of “Politics of Chaudhar”, a book that focuses on the political landscape of Haryana.
Tyagi pointed out Congress leaders appeared lethargic throughout the election campaign, while the BJP left no stone unturned in canvassing the electorate to vote for its candidates. "This is the key difference between the two main parties. It will play a crucial role in determining the poll results," he said.
Jitendra Bhardwaj, another political observer, emphasised that the mayoral post had become a matter of prestige for both the Congress and the BJP.
"It will be a significant blow to the saffron party if it fails to retain the seat despite putting in all efforts. Moreover, being the first election after forming the state government, this will serve as the BJP's first electoral test. Similarly, a defeat for the Congress candidate would give the BJP an opportunity to establish a foothold in Hooda's bastion," Bhardwaj said.
On last day of electioneering on Friday, Congress MP Deepender Hooda and Haryana Minister Krishan Lal Panwar addressed poll meetings to seek votes for candidates of their respective parties.
