Independent promises infra works, AI hub for Gurugram

Naveen Goyal, the independent candidate for the Gurgaon seat, on Sunday said that people from across community and caste lines have come out in his support and given an edge to his campaign.

Goyal, who had resigned from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with several of his supporters after being denied the party ticket, said that more than 150 grassroots workers of BJP had recently joined him and given a major boost to his campaign.

Goyal’s entry into the contest, which was largely being seen as bipolar, has changed the electoral scenario as he has gained traction with not only the Vaishya community to which he belongs but also people from the Punjabi, Brahmin, Jat and scheduled caste communities, who have announced their support for him.

“I am thankful to the people of Gurugram that they are coming out to support me despite the presence of party candidates. I have worked hard for the people in the last five years and I appeal to all of you to vote on merit this time leaving aside party lines,” said Goyal, while addressing a public meeting of the Punjabi community in Sector 7 on Sunday.

Referring to the ground-level BJP workers who switched allegiances to support his candidacy, Goyal said, “These people were my supporters who, trusting me, had worked for the BJP. They were disillusioned with the party’s decision and chose to follow me.” He added that the election was not about party symbols anymore but about the candidate’s agenda.

The independent candidate is facing Mukesh Sharma of the BJP, Mohit Grover of the Congress, Nishant Anand from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Sanjay Lal, another independent.

“We will work together to transform Gurugram into a better city for everyone. A key priority is to accelerate the completion of the Old Gurugram Metro project. The construction of a new ISBT bus stand at Rajiv Chowk will greatly enhance transportation infrastructure. Additionally, new Haryana Roadways buses and routes will be introduced, especially for those travelling to religious sites. We plan to renovate the Gurugram railway station and add new trains for our migrant brothers to improve connectivity. Auto drivers will also benefit from dedicated stands, toilets, and canteens, improving their working conditions and ensuring better public service,” Goyal said.

“We aim to establish an AI (artificial intelligence) park, an auto market, a transport hub, a dairy town, and a Science City. To boost tourism, we will focus on renovating and beautifying historical landmarks such as Farrukhnagar Fort, Sheesh Mahal, Badshahpur Fort, John Hall, and Digambar Temple. Key infrastructure projects include completing the Khandasa Road grain market, building a new fruit and flower market, and enhancing community spaces with six new centres and 500 additional public toilets. Together, these efforts will elevate Gurugram’s global standing and improve the quality of life for all residents,” he said.

Goyal on Sunday also attended the Jan Ashirwad Samaroh of Utkal Samaj (Odia community) at the Community Center in Sector 5. While addressing the gathering, he assured residents that he will work for the city’s development and provide basic amenities to the people.

Earlier in the morning, Goyal also visited the city church. “The people of Gurugram have empowered my campaign and motivated me to fight the election,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sanjay Lal, the other independent candidate, said that as urban voters, they have been left with no choice but to contest the state elections because the system has failed them for far too long. “We invested crores of rupees into our flats, yet we still have no ownership of the common areas, which remain under the control of builders even after 20 years. This is unacceptable. Gurugram, once a symbol of growth, is now in a deplorable state, with garbage disposal monopolised by a single agency acting like a mafia,” he said.