There are two factors influencing the assembly elections in Haryana this time – nepotism and generational change. Both Congress and BJP have fielded close relatives of senior party leaders to win this election. BJP has given tickets to members of five families dominating politics, including two daughters and three sons of party leaders.
Regarding this, Chandigarh political analyst Professor Gurmeet Singh says, “Giving tickets to family members is not a new thing, but this time a generational change is being seen. Many senior leaders have been successful in getting tickets for the next generation. This also confirms that the BJP, which accuses the Congress of nepotism, has itself given tickets to the family members of leaders.”
On the other hand, the Congress has fielded seven close relatives of party leaders, including two sons, a wife, a son-in-law, a grandson of a former CM and BS Hooda’s samdhi.
The BJP has fielded Kuldeep Bishnoi’s son Bhavya Bishnoi from Adampur assembly constituency. Manmohan Bhadana, son of former cabinet minister Kartar Singh Bhadana, has been given a ticket from Samalkha. Aarti Rao, daughter of Union Minister of State Rao Indrajit Singh, has been fielded from Ateli.
Apart from these, BJP has given ticket to Kiran Chaudhary’s daughter Shruti Chaudhary from Tosham. Satpal Sangwan is another former cabinet minister who has got the party ticket for his son Sunil Sangwan from Charkhi Dadri. Sunil left his government job as jail superintendent to join BJP.
“The only criterion for giving tickets is the incompetence of a particular leader. Family and dynasty come later. The contribution of the leaders has also been taken into consideration,” said Anil Vij, a member of the BJP screening committee and former Haryana home minister.
Congress gave tickets to family members
Talking about Congress, the party has fielded former Haryana CM Chaudhary Bansi Lal’s son-in-law Sombir Sheoran from Badhra assembly constituency. Apart from this, Aditya Surjewala, son of Rajya Sabha MP and Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, has been given ticket from Kaithal, while Vikas Sheoran, son of the party’s Hisar MP Jai Prakash, has managed to get a ticket from Kalayat. Anirudh Chaudhary, grandson of former Haryana CM Bansi Lal, has been fielded from Tosham.
Another member of the Congress clan who has got a party ticket is former CM Bhajan Lal’s eldest son Chandra Mohan Bishnoi, whose younger brother Kuldeep Bishnoi’s son Bhavya Bishnoi is contesting on a BJP ticket. The party’s Mullana MP Varun Chaudhary also managed to get a party ticket from Mullana for his wife Pooja Chaudhary. Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda got a ticket for his samdhi Karan Singh Dalal, who is his niece’s father-in-law. Dalal had created a stir by filing nomination as a Congress candidate even though the ticket had not been formally announced.
Nepotism in INLD too!
The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) is also generous in giving tickets to family members. The party has given tickets to four family members, including late Pratap Singh Chautala’s daughter-in-law Sunaina Chautala and INLD supremo Om Prakash Chautala’s brother. Others contesting from the Chautala family include late Devi Lal’s grandson Aditya Chautala, Arjun Chautala and Om Prakash Chautala’s son Abhay Chautala.
The Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) has fielded Digvijay Chautala from Dabwali and Dushyant Chautala from Uchana. The party has supported Dushyant’s uncle Ranjit Singh Chautala, who is contesting as an independent from Rania. The BJP has refused to give him a ticket.
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