With just days ahead of lok Sabha elections, it seems all is not well in the BJP. A rebel leader and former secretary of State BJP, Pradeep Sangwan has filed his nomination as an Independent candidate from Sonepat lok Sabha seat.
Keeping in view Jat voters (Malik and Dahia castes) equation in this constituency, the ruling Congress and principle Opposition party Indian National lok Dal (INlD) have fielded their candidates Jagbir Malik and Padam Dahia on this seat respectively. After refusal for re-election by its sitting MP Jatinder Malik, Congress had fielded Jagbir Malik as its candidate from this constituency.
However, after the announcement of Congress and INlD’s Jat candidates from the constituency, BJP preferred to field Ramesh Kaushik — a non-Jat candidate from this seat. Kaushik who had won Assembly elections on Haryana Vikas Party’s ticket from Gannaur Assembly seat, had also worked as Cabinet Minister during former Haryana Chief Minister Bansi lal’s tenure.
Known as a turncoat in the State politics, Kaushik had left Bansi lal to join Om Prakash Chautala in 1999, thereafter he joined Congress and was elected MlA from Rai Assembly constituency. Kaushik had joined BJP a year back and had succeeded to get ticket to contest in the ensuing parliamentary elections, which are scheduled on April 10.
Sonipat lok Sabha constituency comprising nine Vidhan Sabha seats, including Ganaur, Rai, Kharkhauda, Sonipat, Gohana, Baroda, Julana, Safidon and Jind areas is considered as a Jat land. It is also surrounded by Rohtak constituency, which is hometown of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who had worked hard to develop this area for his son Deepender Singh Hooda, who is sitting MP from Rohtak parliamentary constituency and also seeking re-elections this time.
Aam Aadmi Party has fielded its candidate Jai Singh Thekedar, president of Bar Association Gohana. Indian National lok Dal, which fielded Padam Dahia from this constituency is persuading the Jat voters to vote against Congress party and in favour of INlD. INlD is levelling allegations that their leaders are behind bars for giving jobs to the people of the State. Notably, senior leaders Om Prakash Chautala and Ajay Singh Chautala are behind bars for JBT scam case.
From 1977 to 2009, Congress won Sonepat seat for four times, BJP and INlD each for two times and Janata Party and Independents for one time each. This parliamentary constituency was formed in 1977 and Congress got seats in 1984, 1991 and 2009, BJP in 1999 and 2004 and Samta Party in 1998 and INlD in 1980 and 1989, Janata Party in 1977 and Arvind Sharma as an independent candidate in 1996.
Kishan Singh Sangwan, father of disgruntled former secretary of BJP Haryana, Pradeep Sangwan had won from Sonepat in 1998 on Samta Party ticket and in 1999 and 2004 on BJP tickets. Now, after the denial of BJP’s ticket for general elections, Pradeep Sangwan has announced his candidature as an Independent from this seat.