Lost deposit no bar, Kuldeep Bishnoi son gets BJP ticket for father’s seat

The Adampur bypoll was necessitated after the sitting Congress MLA Kuldeep Bishnoi resigned from the Vidhan Sabha in August to join the BJP following his suspension from the Congress for cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha elections in June. Bhavya had also quit the Congress in August along with his father. A four-time MLA from the seat, Kuldeep has been batting for his son’s nomination for the seat for some time by saying that the “people of Adampur wanted his son to contest the bypoll” and “that he had conveyed the sentiment to the party”.

Bhavya had lived abroad for many years before joining active politics. Speaking about it, Bhavya said, “I finished high school from Gurgaon. When I was growing up, I spent time with my father, grandfather and party workers. I was exposed to the challenges faced by the people of Haryana. I went abroad when I was 18 years old. My foundation had become strong till then. I completed my post-graduation and came back. My objective was always to serve the people, which I am currently doing. Over the last few years, I have travelled extensively across Hisar”.

Apart from his father and grandfather, his mother, Renuka Bishnoi, had been a two-time MLA from the Haryana Janhit Congress, a party founded by Lal. She too joined the BJP in August. The Adampur area has been their bastion with members of their family representing the seat for over five decades.

Bhavya Bishnoi

Asked about dynasty politics, Bhavya said that “being a member of a political family will definitely give you an initial edge,” and that “it was true for any profession”. He added: “But, in a democracy, you can have such an edge only once. Then you will have to prove yourself with your work and commitment.”

In the past few weeks, Bhavya has been active on social media with a campaign to woo young voters of Adampur and has launched an app called “Team Bhavya”.

Bhavya is currently enrolled in a Master’s programme in public administration from the John F Kennedy school at Harvard University. He has a Master’s in Contemporary India from St. Antony College at Oxford University and a Bachelors of Science in Government and Economics from the London School of Economics.

He founded the Bhajan Global Impact Foundation, in memory of his grandfather Bhajan Lal, which has been engaged in providing free food to the needy, organising awareness seminars on mental health, personal hygiene, and environmental cleanliness.

“I welcome BJP’s decision of declaring Bhavya Bishnoi as its candidate for Adampur. I am sure that people of Adampur would surely ensure his victory with a record margin and send him to the Haryana Vidhan Sabha,” Kuldeep said.

“I thank the BJP for considering me as its nominee for Adampur. I am sure that, like always, this time too Adampur will win,” Bhavya tweeted.

The AAP has announced former BJP leader Satender Singh as its candidate for the November 3 bypoll. The Congress and the INLD are yet to announce their candidates. The process of filing nominations started on October 7 and will go on till October 14. The results of the poll will be declared on November 6.

State Congress president Udai Bhan had earlier said that in Adampur, it will be a direct fight between Congress and BJP. “Adampur was a stronghold of Congress, is and will remain so in future as well,” said Bhan.

Hitting out at Kuldeep, Bhan had said, “The way Bishnoi betrayed the party and people of Adampur, people will teach him a lesson. Congress will win with a good margin of votes”.

AAP’s Satender when asked that Adampur is considered as a stronghold of the Bhajan Lal family, had said that AAP has always stormed what are considered as bastions. “We have seen it in Delhi and in Punjab too where stalwarts from rival outfits had to bite the dust,” he said.

The process of filing nominations started on October 7 and will go on till October 14. The results of the poll will be declared on November 6.