Haryana: BJP picks two non-Jat faces for forthcoming Rajya Sabha polls

Known for his close proximity to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Jangra, in 2015, was appointed as chairman of Haryana’s Backward and Economically Weaker Sections Kalyan Nigam.

A native of Meham in Rohtak district of Haryana, Jangra was originally a member of Lok Dal (Bahuguna) and had unsuccessfully contested Vidhan Sabha poll from Safidon Assembly constituency in 1987. In 1991, he contested from Meham constituency as Haryana’s former Chief Minister Bansi Lal led Haryana Vikas Party’s nominee and again from Karnal in 2004, but lost both the elections.

Subsequently, when Haryana Vikas Party merged into Congress, Jangra joined the BJP. He also remained BJP’s Rohtak district vice president thrice and also held the post of state president of party’s OBC wing in Haryana. It was in 2014, when Jangra was considered by the BJP as its nominee from Gohana, but he again lost. In 2019 Vidhan Sabha polls, Jangra was again among the front-runners as BJP’s nominee to contest from Gohana, but the party instead fielded Tirath Rana. Even Rana could not make it and Congress’s Jagbir Malik won from Gohana Assembly constituency in 2019.

After his name was announced by the party Thursday, Jangra described himself as a “true soldier of the party”.

“I have been working as party’s ordinary worker for years. Whatever duty was ever assigned to me, I fulfilled it with utmost honesty and dedication. This time too, I will do the same,” Jangra said, adding that he would like to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP chief J P Nadda and Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar for having faith in him.

Dushyant Kumar Gautam, the other nominee, has no direct connection with Haryana politics. A successful businessman-turned-politician in Delhi, Gautam is currently BJP’s national vice president and party’s former SC Morcha convenor. Gautam too had unsuccessfully contested two Assembly polls from Kondli Assembly constituency in New Delhi. He was also appointed as party’s co-incharge in Uttar Pradesh during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Gautam, who remained associated with ABVP during his student days, had also worked for the party in various positions.

The two Rajya Sabha vacancies in Haryana fell vacant due to the resignation of BJP’s Ram Kumar Kashyap who contested 2019 Vidhan Sabha polls and was elected from Indri Assembly constituency and expiry of Congress leader Kumari Selja’s term next month.

Bypoll for another Rajya Sabha seat is also to be held simultaneously on March 26. This is the seat that fell vacant after former Union Minister and BJP senior leader Birender Singh’s seat fell vacant after his resignation was accepted in January, this year. Birender Singh’s term was due to end in September, 2022.

Out of the three seats, BJP is set to bag at least two. Currently, in the 90-member Haryana Assembly, BJP has 40 MLAs while its alliance partner JJP has 10. The main opposition Indian National Congress has 31 members while out of seven Independent MLAs, six support the BJP. One Independent MLA Balraj Kundu had recently withdrawn his support from the BJP. A lone MLA of Haryana Lokhit Party, Gopal Kanda, too is supporting BJP, while INLD has another lone MLA Abhay Chautala.