To pull off 3rd term, BJP keeps Khattar away from Modi’s rally, again

The fall from grace of former Haryana Chief Minister and Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar is increasingly evident with his absence from PM Modi’s rallies in Sonepat today and Kurukshetra on September 14, with state BJP leaders conceding that Khattar is being kept away because of the “negativity” associated with him.

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But the party leaders, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Tribune that the BJP was nevertheless putting its entire might behind winning the non-Jat, backward and Punjabi vote which, they believe, could still consolidate behind the BJP, like it did during the 2014 and 2019 Assembly poll.

The three-pronged strategy, they hoped, would add to the confusion in the Opposition ranks, both in the Congress as well as AAP.

With the Congress seemingly divided between Bhupinder Hooda and Kumari Selja, and the AAP likely to get votes in its Kurukshetra stronghold, the BJP hopes it can still pull off an unprecedented third term in Haryana.

A senior BJP leader, meanwhile, claimed that the absence of BJP’s poster boy Khattar from Modi’s rallies was a smart move to buck the strong anti-incumbency sentiment in the high- stake October 5 Assembly poll.

“There was no need for Khattar’s presence in Sonepat today as his presence would not stand the party in good stead in the Jat-dominated Assembly segments,” he stated. On September 14, Khattar was conspicuous by his absence when Modi launched the party campaign from Kurukshetra, along the GT Road belt, considered to be the BJP’s stronghold. Khattar is an MP from the neighbouring Karnal Lok Sabha seat.

A BJP insider said Khattar evoked strong sentiments across Haryana and the party was “utilizing” him in certain pockets where his presence could make a difference to the party’s electoral fortunes.

Ironically, the party is going to the polls on the strength of “No parchi, no kharchi” (no cash for jobs) and good governance principles propounded during Khattar’s tenure as Haryana’s first BJP Chief Minister.

To deal with anti-incumbency, the BJP replaced Khattar with its OBC face, Nayab Singh Saini, as the CM in March 12, to cash in on the over 30% OBC votes in the state. Saini is also the Chief-Ministerial face of the party for the upcoming elections.