While the BJP swept the Assembly polls in Haryana, a small pocket of resistance emerged in the three Meo-Muslim dominated constituencies of Mewat — Nuh, Ferozepur Jhirka and Punaha. The three Assembly segments have seen communal flare ups in the past year but with the 2011 census stating that almost 75 per cent population was Meo Muslim, the BJP fielded two Muslim candidates from the three seats. At Nuh, BJP candidate, Sanjay Singh, who is from the nearby Ujna village and the party’s only Hindu face in Mewat led an aggressive campaign stating the area needed “more development and not more Muslim leaders”. However, he came third, with Zakir Hussain of the INLD eme-rging the clear winner and incumbent transport minister of Congress, Aftab Ahmed, coming second. The BJP also finished third at the Punhana Assembly segment which was bagged by Independent candidate Rahish Khan. INLD candidate Mohammed Illyas came second. At Ferozepur Jhirka, BJP candidate Alam managed fourth place. INLD candidate Naseem Ahmed won the election while Independent candidates Mamman Khan and Aman Ahmed come second and third. Neither Narendra Modi nor Rahul Gandhi’s visits to Mewat during campaigning appeared to have any effect on the voters. Instead, it was INLD leader Om Prakash Chautala whose popularity was underscored after results were declared on Sunday. Despite being 150 km from Delhi, residents point out that there has been no development in the region. “We are at the very bottom in Haryana. Development takes place everywhere else,” said Aman Khan, a farmer of Khori Nuh. On Sunday, many made their way to the nearest road-side dhaba, to watch election results on television. At one such establishment at Malab village, Abraz Ahmed - who works as a bus driver in Gurgaon - had turned up with his six-year-old son. “In Mewat, we survive because of the work we get in Gurgaon. We still don’t have water. Our schools are terrible . This is what was 10 years ago and I fear that this will be the case 10 years from now,” he said.
