Urban & rural mix makes Nalwa poll battle interesting

It seems that a game of musical chairs has been going on in Nalwa constituency since its creation in the 2009 Assembly elections. The winner of 2019 elections, BJP’s Ranbir Gangwa, has been shifted to the Barwala segment, and the then Congress candidate whom he defeated, Randhir Panihar, is the BJP nominee this time.

In the 2014 elections, Gangwa won from here as an INLD candidate. However, in 2019, he switched over to the BJP. Gangwa defeated the sitting MLA of the Congress, Sampat Singh, who was the first legislator from the segment. Interestingly, Sampat was denied the ticket by the Congress in 2019 reportedly at the insistence of then Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi.

Now, Panihar is the BJP candidate this time, with the blessings of Bishnoi. The Congress has fielded a new face Anil Maan against Panihar. The entry of the AAP’s state secretary of education wing Umesh Sharma has given a new twist to the electoral battle. The JJP-ASP has fielded Virender Chaudhary while the BSP-INLD alliance has nominated Sarwan Kumar Verma among a total of 13 candidates.

This is the only segment where two members of the Bhajan Lal’s family have tasted defeats in consecutive elections. Kuldeep Bishnoi fielded his elder brother Chander Mohan on the Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) ticket in 2009, and his mother Jasma Devi in 2014, but both suffered defeats.

The Nalwa segment has been a mix of rural and urban areas, which include 61 villages and many colonies. It has 1,80,375 voters comprising 94,838 men, 85,535 women and two transgender.

In view of its habitation of rural and urban areas, this segment has issues related to farmers and agriculture besides the issues of urban cleanliness and sewerage system. The residents say that the stray cattle menace is a major problem in both urban and rural areas.

Congress candidate Anil Maan said that he would act like a clerk for the people to get their work done.

“I will ensure smooth work in the region. It is evident that the BJP was going out of power and the Congress is set to form the government,” he said.

BJP candidate Randbir Panihar said he had the trust of people of the entire segment. “I have been a loyalist of former CM Bhajan Lal. I, along with Kuldeep Bishnoi, are always available for the people of the constituency”.

Game of musical chairs

The winner of 2019 elections, BJP’s Ranbir Gangwa, has been shifted to the Barwala this time, and the then Congress candidate whom he defeated, Randhir Panihar, is the BJP nominee this time.