Lotus blooms in Bhupinder Hooda's bastion, BJP wins both seats in Jhajjar dist

Tribune News Service

Ravinder Saini

Rohtak, June 22

The BJP stormed the citadel of former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda in the municipal council elections by winning both seats of chairman in Jhajjar and Bahadurgarh towns in Jhajjar district, while independent MLA from Meham Balraj Kundu suffered a major jolt, as his candidate secured the third position for the post of chairman in the Meham municipal committee in Rohtak district.

BJP nominees, Jile Singh Saini and Saroj Rathi, emerged victorious for the post of chairman in Jhajjar and Bahadurgarh municipal councils, respectively, while independent candidate Bharti was elected chairperson of the Meham municipal committee.

Though the Congress did not contest the elections on the party symbol, it declared to support independent candidates, Rao Nahar Singh and Ram Bhateri, in Jhajjar and Bahadurgarh, respectively. Both leaders have been associated with the Congress. Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Hooda, MLAs, Geeta Bhukkal and Rajendra Joon, carried out canvassing for the candidates to ensure their victory.

The Congress had won seven out of the eight seats in Rohtak and Jhajjar districts in the 2019 Assembly polls, while the BJP had failed to open its account.

In Jhajjar, Saini won the elections by a margin of 6,124 votes over Rao Nahar Singh. Saini polled 10,711 votes and Rao got 4,587 votes while Congress rebel Bhoodev secured 3,676 votes. Besides, AAP candidate Harish Kumar polled 1225, LSP’s Rajesh 1075 and INLD’s Narendra got 322 votes. 130 electors used Nota.

Similarly in Bahadurgarh, the BJP nominee Saroj Rathi won the election by a close margin of 2,563 votes, while the Congress supported candidate Ram Bhateri secured the third position. INLD’s Monika Rathi gave a stiff fight to Saroj who polled 27,415 votes. Monika got 24,852 votes, Ram Bhateri 18,305, AAP’s Sushila Yadav 2,503 and LSP’s Pinki Saini polled 1,454 votes. 579 votes used NOTA in the elections.

In Rohtak’s Meham, independent candidate Bharti won the election by a narrow margin of 278 votes and Kundu’s supported candidate Kranti Punia secured the third position, while the BJP supported Meena Devi got the fourth position. Some Meham leaders were also canvassing for Bharti, who got 3,296 votes, while Amarjeet Kaur polled 3018 votes, Kranti 2179, Meena 1848 and AAP’s Ravin 901 votes.

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