In Haryana's Sirsa, Selja trusts bond with people, while Tanwar banks on Modi card

The Sirsa reserved Lok Sabha constituency has been the base of the Chautala family, but this time the main contest is between two former presidents of Congress' Haryana unit.

In this constituency, spread over the districts of Sirsa and Fatehabad with Punjab on two sides, the BJP has fielded Ashok Tanwar, against Congress' Kumari Selja.

Both Tanwar and Selja were believed to be in the same camp of the Haryana Congress with Bhupinder Hooda heading the other side.


Tanwar had lost the election from this seat on a Congress ticket in 2019. Thereafter he changed three parties: he moved to the Aam Aadmi Party, Trinamool Congress and now to the BJP. The BJP replaced its MP Sunita Duggal, who won the seat for the party for the first time ever in 2019, to give the ticket to Tanwar.

Sirsa, with a substantial Sikh population, witnessed a lot of mobilisation during the farmer protest. It is an issue which still echoes loud in the rural parts of the constituency and one that features prominently in Selja's speeches. And besides her, two of her party colleagues - Kiran Chaudhary and Randeep Singh Surjewala - are spending lot of time in the constituency to ensure her victory. Selja, who contested from Ambala last time, said she has a connect with people across Haryana. Even she can contest from a general seat like Hisar, she said. "I have a strong connection with people in Sirsa; my father won from here several times and so do I. People know me. I have stayed among them in their joy and sorrow," she said.

Meanwhile, Tanwar is counting on the Modi factor and BJP's organisational strength, and is making the Ram temple a major poll plank.

On frequently changing parties, Tanwar, without mentioning Selja's names, said unlike other leaders he has not cheated people by changing constituencies.

"I changed parties because I was not ready to compromise with my ethics and ideals," Tanwar said. Gopal Kanda, a local strongman with deep pockets and the sitting MLA from Sirsa, is working overtime to ensure Tanwar's victory. Another factor which is playing an important role in the Sirsa Lok Sabha constituency is Dera Sacha Sauda. The dera, based in Sirsa, has followers across this Lok Sabha constituency and has announced its support to Tanwar's candidature.

Dera chief Saint Ram Rahim, convicted of rape and murder, has got frequent parole under the BJP government since his conviction in 2017.

On the other hand, farmers unions including the BKU Chanduni have pledged their support to Selja.

With the farmer issue echoing large, and backing of Dalit faces and Sikh voters, Selja supporters are confident of her victory.

Tanwar's supporters expect urban voters to compensate for any loss for the party in rural parts of the constituency.