Deepak Hooda, a former captain of the Indian kabaddi team, is stepping into a new arena as the BJP nominee for the Meham Assembly constituency in Haryana. The 30-year-old is vying for votes in a district known for its Jat community support.
Hooda expressed confidence that the BJP will secure its first electoral win in Meham, stating, “Nobody will be able to prevent the lotus from blooming here.” He hails from Chamaria village in Rohtak and was part of the team that won gold at the 2016 South Asian Games. He and his wife, international boxer Saweety Boora, joined the BJP six months ago.
Campaigning door-to-door, Hooda has reported receiving strong support from locals.
The Meham constituency was once considered the stronghold of former prime minister Chaudhary Devi Lal. He became a legislator from here in 1982, 1985 and 1987. Thereafter, Congress’ Anand Singh Dangi was elected MLA for four terms (1991, 2005, 2009 and 2014) and this constituency became his bastion.
In the 2019 Assembly polls, Dangi was defeated by independent candidate Balraj Kundu by a margin of over 12,000 votes.
BJP’s Hooda is pitted against Congress candidate and former MLA Anand Singh Dangi’s son Balram Dangi and sitting MLA Balraj Kundu, who formed the Haryana Jansewak Party. Also in the race is Radha Ahlawat, running as an independent candidate after her husband, Shamsher Singh Kharkara, failed to win on BJP tickets in previous elections.
Hooda criticised Kundu and past legislators for neglecting development in the area, promising improvements in local infrastructure and the establishment of a sports university and medical or engineering colleges.
When asked about his main opponent, Hooda asserted that the contest is primarily between the BJP and Congress. He accused Balram Dangi of arrogance, claiming, “People have not seen a more arrogant person than Dangi.”
Polling for the 90 Assembly seats in Haryana is set for October 5, with results to be announced on October 8.