The Garhi-Sampla-Kioli seat has remained a Congress bastion with former CM and Congress stalwart Bhupinder Singh Hooda representing the assembly constituency five times. This time he is pitted against BJP’s Manju Hooda, Rohtak Zila Parishad sitting chairperson Sushila Devi of the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) and Krishan of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD).
Hooda, two-time chief minister of Haryana, has registered four consecutive victories from Garhi-Sampla-Kiloi–the 2005 by-poll, 2009, 2014 and 2019. Hooda also won from this seat in 2000. In 2005, former MLA Krishan Hooda had vacated the seat when Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the then Rohtak MP, was elected as chief minister of Haryana in 2005. Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s father Ranbir Singh Hooda had won this seat in 1968. The ongoing assembly election is just a cakewalk for the veteran. Jat leader and his campaign in the constituency was led by his workers. All the MLAs from this seat belonged to the Jat community, which constitutes around 55% of voters. There are 2.20 lakh total voters, including 1.17 lakh male and 1.02 lakh female voters, in this constituent assembly.
Former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that his campaign is led by his workers as he is busy in canvassing for other party candidates across the state.
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“The people are upset over BJP’s ten-year rule and there is clear indication that Congress is coming to power. During our rule not only Garhi-Sampla-Kiloi constituency but the entire state has progressed. During my regime, Haryana was known for empowering farmers, jawan (youths) and pehlwans (sportspersons) but this government has attacked them by using batons when they were seeking their rights,” he added.
He further said that after the formation of Congress government several promises, including 6,000 per month pension to elderly, filling of 2 lakh vacant posts, giving the gas cylinders at 500 each, legal guarantee on the MSP, free medical treatment of 25 lakh, will be implemented.
Sudhir Kumar, a resident of Bohar village in the Garhi-Sampla-Kiloi seat said that though the Congress is yet to declare Bhupinder Singh Hooda as official chief minister’s candidate but the people of this constituency will vote to elect Hooda as the next chief minister of. the state.
“The voters will exercise their franchise to bring Chaudhar (power) back to Rohtak. The BJP has ignored Rohtak district in the last ten-years and they are responsible for bringing fractions into the society. During Hooda’s regime, two universities, Indian Institute of Management and many other projects were completed but the BJP did not bring any big projects in its rule,” he added.
Sahil Lohan, said that several exams were canceled in Haryana after paper got leaked and the BJP’s claim of holding recruitment drives in fair way are mere ‘jumle’.
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“The BJP government failed to improve the condition of stadiums and the Agnipath scheme broke the morale of youngsters, who are aspiring to join the Indian army. The law and order situation is a big issue due to our proximity to Delhi,” he added.
Former sarpanch of Makrauli village, Sumit Kumar alleged the former minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s performance as a law-maker in the last ten-years is unsatisfactory but undoubtedly he worked a lot when he was chief minister.
“There are no issues in the constituency because Hooda has emerged bigger than the issues. The other candidates in the fray have no chance of even giving a fight to Hooda,” he added.
Mukesh Hooda, a farmer, said that Hooda made Garhi-Sampla-Kiloi famous on the world’s map and he had worked for all people irrespective of caste and religion.
“The farmers are waiting to get compensation for their damaged crops of the last two years but the BJP government is yet to release the payment. During the Congress regime, the prices of crops were higher, electricity bills were waived off and canals were full of water. The BJP government has worked to push us backward,” he added.
The BJP candidate, Manju Hooda is the daughter of retired deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Pradeep Yadav. Her husband Rajesh Hooda, is known as a history-sheeter and out of jail. She is facing internal bickering as the party ignored senior leaders like Satish Nanada and former MLA Krishan Murti Hooda. The other candidates in the fray have no strength on the ground.
Manju Hooda said that she is getting people’s support and hoping to get voters’ blessing the way she was elected in the Zila Parishad election. On being asked about her husband’s criminal background, Manju said that her husband has always supported her at every moment and now her husband has no connection with criminals.
“Every person carries a past but the present matters a lot. My husband and my father have helped me and they guided me to carry philanthropic activities,” she added.
Rohtak based political commentator Satish Tyagi said that Bhupinder Singh Hooda will secure a landslide victory from his own seat and the voters in Deswali belt comprising Rohtak, Jhajjar and Sonepat, will exercise their franchise while considering the Congress candidate Hooda.
