Dynasts continue to dominate Haryana’s electoral scenario
At least seven candidates related to Devi Lal family are contesting the polls, some of them against each other as well. For instance, Devi Lal’s great grandson, Arjun Chautala (INLD) and Devi Lal’s son, Ranjit Singh (Independent) are pitted against each other in Rania constituency. Arjun is the younger son of Devi Lal’s grandson, Abhay Chautala.
When a Congress ticket aspirant, Shweta Dhull expressed her angst on social media by saying “Raja Ka Beta hi Raja Banta hai” (only an emperor’s son can be an emperor) after being denied a party nomination from Kalayat assembly seat, she wasn’t much off the mark. Dynasts continue to remain a key feature of Haryana politics with more than 40 candidates across party lines testing electoral waters for the 2024 assembly polls. Besides, the three prominent political families of Devi Lal, Bansi Lal and Bhajan Lal, several other candidates who owe their political standing to their families are in the fray.
The Lals of Haryana
At least seven candidates related to Devi Lal family are contesting the polls, some of them against each other as well. For instance, Devi Lal’s great grandson, Arjun Chautala (INLD) and Devi Lal’s son, Ranjit Singh (Independent) are pitted against each other in Rania constituency. Arjun is the younger son of Devi Lal’s grandson, Abhay Chautala.
Similarly, another great grandson of Devi Lal, Digvijay Chautala (JJP), son of Ajay Chautala, is contesting against his uncles, Aditya Devi Lal (INLD) and Amit Sihag (Congress). Besides, former deputy chief minister, Dushyant Chautala (JJP), son of Ajay Chautala, is contesting from Uchana Kalan while his uncle, Abhay Chautala (INLD) is contesting from Ellenabad.
From the Bansi Lal family, his grand-daughter, Shruti Choudhry (BJP) and grandson, Anirudh Chaudhary (Congress) are locked in a direct fight from Tosham seat. Shruti is the daughter of Bansi Lal’s deceased son, Surender Singh and BJP Rajya Sabha MP, Kiran Choudhry, while Anirudh is the son of Lal’s elder son, Ranbir Mahendra. Bansi Lal’s son-in-law, Somvir Singh is contesting from Badhra seat.
From the Bhajan Lal family, his grandson, Bhavya Bishnoi (BJP) is contesting from Adampur seat while his uncle, Chander Mohan Bishnoi is contesting from Panchkula. Bhavya is the son of Bhajan Lal’s younger son, Kuldeep Bishnoi. Chander Mohan is Kuldeep’s elder brother. Bhajan Lal’s nephew, Dura Ram is BJP candidate from Fatehabad seat.
Sons, daughters, wives in the contest
Among others, Brijendra Singh (Congress) who is the son of former Union minister, Birender Singh, is contesting from Uchana Kalan, Arti Singh Rao (BJP) who is the daughter of Union minister, Rao Inderjit Singh is contesting from Ateli, Shakti Rani Sharma (BJP) who is the wife of former minister, Venod Sharma is contesting from Kalka, Pooja Chaudhary (Congress) who is the wife of Congress Ambala MP, Varun Chaudhary is contesting from Mullana, Savitri Jindal (Independent) who is the mother of BJP Kurukshetra MP, Naveen Jindal is contesting from Hisar seat.
Aditya Surjewala (Congress), who is the son of Congress Rajya Sabha MP, Randeep Surjewala is contesting from Kaithal, Krishan Middha (BJP) who is son of former MLA, Hari Chand Middha is contesting from Jind, Vikas Saharan (Congress), son of Congress Hisar MP, Jai Prakash is contesting from Kalayat, Sanjay Singh (BJP) who is the son of former minister, Suraj Pal and Tahir Hussain (INLD) who is the son of former MLA, Zakir Hussain are contesting from Nuh, Balram Dangi (Congress), son of former minister, Anand Singh Dangi is contesting from Meham, Manmohan Bhadana (BJP) who is the son of former minister, Kartar Bhadana is contesting from Samalkha, Mandeep Chatha (Congress), son of former minister Harmohinder Singh Chatha is contesting from Pehowa, Pardeep Singh Sangwan (BJP) who is the son of former MP, Kishen Singh Sangwan is contesting from Baroda seat, Sapna Barshami (INLD) who is the daughter-in-law of Sher Singh Barshami, an aide of former CM, Om Prakash Chautala is contesting from Ladwa, Chiranjeev Rao (Congress) who is the son of former minister, Capt Ajay Singh Yadav is contesting from Rewari, Sunil Sangwan (BJP) who is the son of former minister, Satpal Sangwan is contesting from Dadri, Neeraj Sharma (Congress), son of former minister, Shiv Charan Lal Sharma is contesting from Faridabad NIT seat, Devender Kaushik (BJP) who is the brother of former MP, Ramesh Kaushik is contesting from Gannaur, Vijay Pratap Singh (Congress) son of former minister, Mahender Pratap is contesting from Badkhal, Gokul Setia (Congress), grandson of former minister Lachhman Das Arora is contesting from Sirsa.
Prof Ashutosh Kumar, a political scientist at Panjab University, Chandigarh, says that promoting one’s kin is something which is deeply ingrained in the culture of South Asia. “So, it’s not surprising that politicians prop up their children, particularly the male child to be their political heirs,’’ he said. Prof Kumar said that since politics also has become a family enterprise involving financial resources, it becomes necessary for the politicians to ensure that the business is controlled by the family only.
Political experts said that sons and daughters of politicians have an advantage over the others, a reason why political parties also put their money on them. “They start their careers from an established political platform. Their political legacy ensures that they have a committed vote bank, workers, finances and experienced people who can do their poll management,” said an expert.
