A platform for dynastic politics for decades, Haryana is seeing many political families in fray this time too as grandchildren of four former chief ministers, two great grandsons and sons of political bigwigs are trying their luck.
Political families including Chautalas, Bishnois and Hoodas are in fray every election in Haryana, a Jat-dominated state.
However, the grandchildren of the four former chief ministers including Bhajan Lal, Chaudhary Devi Lal, Om Prakash Chautala and Bansi Lal, say they are not contesting the elections riding on the popularity of their families but on basis of the work done in their constituencies.
While the Congress has fielded Bansi Lal’s granddaughter Shruti Chaudhary from Bhiwani-Mahendargarh constituency, Bhavya Bishnoi, grandson of Bhajan Lal and son of Kuldip Bishnoi is the party’s candidate from Hisar.
Chaudhary, a former MP from the Bhiwani-Mahendargarh constituency, told PTI, “Coming from a politically influential family does come with its benefits as the family has a goodwill but voters today cannot be taken for ride. They are not interested in our dynasties but the work done”.
Shruti’s mother, Kiran Chaudhary, is an MLA from Bhiwan’s Tosahm constituency.
Three Chautala great grandsons are in fray albeit not from the same party after the Chautala clan split last year following a bitter family feud.
With Om Prakash Chautala being in jail in connection with the teacher recruitment scam, his son Ajay Chautala had broken away from the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and formed Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) which has formed an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the state.