Former Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Chander Mohan, who hogged the limelight for giving up his political career, family and religion for love in 2008, is keen on contesting the ensuing Lok Sabha polls on a Congress ticket from Karnal parliamentary seat.
Once known as Chand Mohammad, husband of late Fiza Mohammad alias Anuradha Bali, Chander Mohan is looking to make a strong comeback in the state politics by entering the electoral fray in Lok Sabha polls.
“If the Congress party reposes its faith in me, I am interested in contesting from Karnal Lok Sabha constituency,” says Chander Mohan, while talking to The Pioneer.
Chander Mohan, the elder son of three-time former Haryana CM Bhajan Lal, had served as Deputy Chief Minister during Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s first term as Chief Minister of Haryana.
In his last election outing, Chander Mohan had lost in 2014 assembly polls from Nalwa assembly constituency, which was his first political venture outside Kalka. He was earlier elected to the Haryana Assembly from Kalka constituency, adjoining Chandigarh, in a 1993 by-election and again in 1996, 2000 and 2005.
Reacting to the reports that he has staked his claim on Congress’ ticket from Hisar parliamentary seat, from where his younger brother Kuldeep Bishnoi is seen as a frontrunner as party candidate, Chander Mohan says, “No, this is not true. I am interested to contest from Karnal.”
Karnal being Chief Minister Manohar Lal’s home turf is likely to witness a prestige political battle in the parliamentary polls. Karnal is represented by Manohar Lal in the State Assembly and BJP is likely to field a political heavyweight to retain this seat won by BJP’s Ashwini Kumar Chopra in 2014 polls.
In Congress, former Speaker and Ganaur MLA Kuldeep Sharma is learnt to have sought a ticket for his son from Karnal seat.
Caste equations have always played a key role in this constituency with Brahmin community playing the predominant role and electing nine Brahmin candidates out of 12 elections in Karnal since 1976.
Chander Mohan, a Brahmin himself had attempted to contest from Karnal in 2014 Lok Sabha polls but had to withdraw his candidature, only a day after he was nominated as Haryana Janhit Congress candidate for the constituency.
Interestingly, the Karnal seat was left by the BJP for its alliance partner HJC in 2014 Lok Sabha polls but after the controversy surrounding Chander Mohan, the HJC had opted to take the Sirsa Lok Sabha seat instead and the BJP had immediately announced Ashwini Chopra as its candidate for Karnal. HJC had in 2016 merged into the Congress.
Chander Mohan’s father Bhajan Lal had won the Karnal seat in 1998 elections and had also faced defeat for the first time in his political career in 1999 elections from the same seat.
As the Congress gears up to take on BJP and other political parties on 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana, Chander Mohan says that the party is in a strong position and will win on all seats in the state.
He also hits out at BJP Government at the Centre and in Haryana for their poor performance during their tenure.
“The BJP has done nothing during its tenure in Haryana and at the Centre. They (BJP) were zero,” the former Deputy CM says.
When asked about speculations that his brother Kuldeep Bishnoi might join the BJP soon, Chander Mohan says, “This question should be asked to him not me.”
He, however, clarifies, that Kuldeep has time and again denied such reports and he is a Congressman.
A day ahead of Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Haryana to join party’s ‘Parivartan Yatra’, he tells, “The party workers are enthusiastic as the party president will also visit Jagadhri.”
The Congress will perform well in the elections under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, he adds.
Once known as stalwart of Haryana politics, the four-time former MLA Chander Mohan’s controversial love life had eclipsed his political career.
He had suddenly went missing when he was the deputy Chief Minister in Haryana Government led by Bhupinder Singh Hooda in 2008 and had resurfaced as Chand Mohammad after embracing Islam and marrying former assistant advocate general, Anuradha Bali, who had changed her name to Fiza Mohammad.
Chander Mohan had later split from Fiza as the couple’s tumultuous relationship did not last long and he had also later returned to his family.
His controversial love life had however cost him party’s ticket in 2009 State Assembly elections.
Before Fiza’s mysterious death in 2012, Chander Mohan had separated from her and also converted back to Hinduism in 2009.