High-flier airline owner lands Home

His inclusion in the Council of Ministers is seen as incontrovertible evidence that Hooda had been under pressure to accommodate the Independents,on whose strength he constituted his ministry after failing to secure a simple majority in the 90-member Assembly.

However,Kanda has plenty of clout in the state,not least of all due to his considerable wealth. He registered an emphatic win in Sirsa,the hometown and stronghold of the Chautalas — who had denied him a ticket — and sent Congress veteran Lachhman Das Arora to a poor third.

While relations between them may have soured now,Kanda and the Chautalas once had close ties,going back to the time Kanda ran a shop,Shoe Camp,in Sirsa. He rose meteorically in the state’s business circles,and besides many other companies now owns MDLR Airlines. He progressed enormously during the INLD regime and shot to prominence after he reportedly weighed Chautala with currency notes during an election rally. Kanda consolidated his position under the Congress regime,especially in Gurgaon.

When contacted by The Indian Express,Kanda first seemed enthusiastic about discussing his triumphs,but when asked about the cases against him,he abruptly said he was busy in a meeting and would be available in half an hour. Later,it was only his caller tune that responded,with “Waheguru,Waheguru,Waheguru”.