Garhi Sampla Kiloi: Even as the streets of Haryana remain abuzz with political activities, there is a calm air about Garhi Sampla Kiloi, which is Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda's constituency.
As one arrives at this hamlet leaving behind the bustling Delhi-Rohtak road, one can't help but notice the sense of calm that prevails in Garhi Sampla Kiloi despite Sunday being the second last day of campaigning for the Assembly elections.
A deserted BJP office and the INLD workers trying to put up a brave face speak volumes about the political scene in Hooda's stronghold. Challenging Hooda is Indian National Lok Dal's Satish Nandal and BJP's Dharamvir.
While the INLD believes it will give a tough fight to Hooda, Congress workers are confident that it is going to be a 'one-way contest'.
"BJP is nowhere in the scene here. Our CM will win by over 80,000 votes very comfortably," claims Congress's Ajay Pal Singh Hooda.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mega rally in the adjoining Jind district does not seem to have made much impact in this region where caste plays a major role in deciding the political fortunes of candidates.
"Was there any crowd at Modi's rally? Even the PM coming down can't change the party's fortunes," says INLD's Surinder Suhag.
BJP has brought in party workers from Madhya Pradesh's Indore who have been camping in the constituency. But even they admit that BJP won't reach anywhere near the half way mark of 45 seats when the votes are counted on October 19.
"BJP would have done better had we projected a CM candidate," feels party worker Naveen Mittal.
Hooda won by a margin of over 50,000 votes in the 2009 Assembly elections. It needs to be seen what the anti-incumbency factor does to his vote share this time and whether the sympathy vote in favour of the INLD following party chief Om Prakash Chautala's conviction in a scam would make a dent in his poll prospects.
Comments
0 comment