Whole Hooda clan campaigns for Deepender in Rohtak prestige battle

Rohtak | Kosli: Rohtak was always perceived to be the pocket borough of the Hoodas till Deepender Hooda lost the 2019 elections by a narrow margin. This time, it is a battle of prestige for the family -- everyone from Deepender's wife to his mother are all on the field to ensure his victory.

Deepender's father and former Chief Minister of Haryana Bhupender Hooda had defeated Jat stalwart and former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal thrice from Rohtak.

But in the Modi wave of the 2019 Lok Sabha election across Hindi heartland, Congress candidate Hooda lost from Rohtak narrowly, primarily due to one assembly segment, Kosli, as BJP's Anand Sharma got more than 70,000 votes over Deepender from here.


This time also, the contest is between Sharma and Deepender. And the latter wants to keep the contest local and is harping on development work.

Without discussing much about national issues, Deepender is moving from village to village and talking about bringing 'Chaudhar' back to Rohtak Lok Sabha. The route to Delhi goes via Chandigarh, he claims.

In a smartly designed campaign, Congress posters in Rohtak highlights the various development works done by Deepender -- from the IIM to the stadium to highways -- appealing to people to think of the work he did as MP.

In Haryana, where politics is seen through the Jat-Non-Jat prism, Deepender talks about 36 biradari (all 36 castes) and kaam (work). Deepender enjoys more goodwill than his party on the ground and many, especially the youths mostly from the Jat community, feel sorry that he lost the Lok Sabha election last time.

Rahul Rathee, a student in MDU university accompanied by his two friends Rajat Sharma and Tarun Chugh (all three from different castes), describe Deepender as a "decent man."

"It was not good that he lost. This time, he should win. He had done a lot of work for Rohtak," Rathee says. Both his friends, Sharma and Chugh, agree to that.

Sharma, in his campaign, talks about Modi, the surgical strike and underlines that the election is for the nation and national pride.

Sharma is relying more on caste factors, especially the consolidation of non-Jats in Rohtak, Bahadurgarh, and Kosli assembly segments.

At Kosli bus stand, Ghanshyam Yadav, an ex-serviceman, describes Deepender as a "good man" but says the election is for the Lok Sabha.