Assembly of big guns: Three MLAs,former legislator in fight for Sohna seat

Independent candidate and sitting MLA from Sohna Sukbhir Singh Jaunapuria is contesting against Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) candidate and Tauru MLA Sahida Khan and sitting MLA from Bhiwani Dharambir Singh of the Congress.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP),too,has fielded a big gun in Zakir Hussain: with a strong base among Meo Muslims in Sohna,the former MLA finished runner-up to Rao Inderjeet Singh in the Lok Sabha elections from Gurgaon seat earlier this year.

INLD’s Sahida Khan is also hopeful since a major chunk of Tauru constituency has been added to Sohna after delimitation.

While factionalism within the Congress saw Dharambir Singh shunted to Sohna from his home constituency Badhra,in Bhiwani district,Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda recently led a rally at Sohna to campaign for Singh. “He is my candidate,” Hooda told the crowd. “If he wins,he will be the ‘CM’ from Sohna.”

Besides the big guns,the BJP has fielded Tejpal Khatana,while the Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) has Rohtash Khatana contesting from Sohna.

The constituency

Sohna has a mixed population of Gurjjars and Meo Muslims (a sect found mostly in Alwar and Bharatpur regions besides Gurgaon district). While Hussain claims the backing of Meos,Jaunapuria,Tanwar and Khatana have fairly wide support from the Gurjjar community.

Dharambir is a Jat candidate,and can expect fight for the community’s votes from fellow Jat Nihal Singh,contesting as an Independent.

Political analysts say the main contest at the moment seems to be between Jaunapuria (Independent),Husain (BSP),and Dharambir Singh (Congress).

The high proportion of Meo Muslim and Gurjjar voters,besides another Jat contestant eating into the community’s votes,might affect Singh’s chances,analysts say.

The other seats

Multi-cornered contests are also likely in the other three Assembly segments Gurgaon district: Gurgaon,Badshapur and Pataudi.

In Gurgaon,sitting MLA Dharambir Gauba (Congress) is pitted chiefly against INLD rebel Sukhbir Kataria,fighting as an Independent,and BJP’s Umesh Agarwal. Also in the fray are Bhim Singh Rathee (BSP),Kanhaiya Lal Gop (HJC) and M R Sharma (INLD).

Denied a ticket by Congress,R S Rathee is contesting as an Independent.

Badshahpur: Former state minister Rao Dharmapal is the Congress nominee from the newly carved constituency. He is locked in a triangular contest with Begh Raj Yadav (HJC) and Gopi Chand Gehlot (INLD).

Shiksha Yadav (BSP),BJP’s Mukesh Pehalwan and Independents Biru Sarpanch and Rakesh Janghu are also in the fray.

Pataudi: Bhupinder Chaudhary of Congress is taking on his uncle,INLD’s Ganga Ram. Also in the fray are advocate Net Ram,contesting on a BSP ticket,and former ADGP Resham Singh (BJP).