Chandigarh, Oct 28 (Inditop.com) Former Haryana strongman Bansi Lal’s family members are locked in a big political battle – this time among themselves.
Days after the Oct 13 Haryana election results were declared, prominent members of the family are openly accusing one another of sabotaging their electoral fortunes.
The fight now is among equally strong personalities of the Bansi Lal family, which has its political base in Bhiwani district.
Bansi Lal’s younger son Ranbir Singh Mahendra, a former president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and son-in-law Somvir Singh have accused former tourism and forests minister and close relative Kiran Choudhary and her daughter Shruti of campaigning against them to defeat them.
The flamboyant Kiran Choudhry is the widow of Bansi Lal’s elder son Surender Singh, who died in a helicopter crash in 2005. Her daugther is MP from Bhiwani-Mahendergarh.
“Kiran Choudhry worked against all Congress candidates in Bhiwani and neighbouring districts. She fielded her own people and promoted them to defeat Congress candidates,” Ranbir Singh Mahendra told Inditop.
Mahendra, who lost from Badhra constituency in Bhiwani district, has strained ties with Choudhary for some years due to disputes over ancestral property in Delhi. He is the younger brother of Surender Singh.
Mahendra’s tirade against Chaudhary is supported by his brother-in-law Somvir Singh. Both Mahendra and Somvir were Congress legislators in the previous assembly.
“Kiran is the only reason behind my defeat; due to her personal rivalry she has betrayed the whole party. I have proof that she campaigned against Congress candidates,” Somvir Singh, who lost from Loharu seat, told Inditop.
He added: “She fielded her own man J.P. Dalal and campaigned for him till the polling day. Her daughter, son-in-law, sister, brother and sister-in-law campaigned for Dalal all across Loharu constituency.”
Mahendra added: “Kiran, her daughter Shruti and their close relatives were taking part in political rallies and campaigns of other parties and independent candidates. They created an impression that Kiran is the next chief minister in order to falsely influence voters.”
Elaborating the provocation that led Choudhary to campaign against Congress candidates, Mahendra said: “She must be thinking that if she is the lone winner of Congress from Bhiwani district, then she can easily get the post of some minister.”
Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said Monday, without naming anyone, that some Congress leaders were to blame for the party’s poor showing in the assembly elections.
The Congress returned with 40 seats in the 90-member house, six short of a simple majority.
“Photographs of Choudhary and Shruti were published along with Dalal on hoardings, posters and calendars. They are still hanging at various places in Loharu. She misguided people by saying that if they want development, then they have to vote for Dalal,” pointed out Somvir.
He said that Dalal declared at a public meeting that he had the full support of Choudhary. “She had affected over 30 Congress candidates in the Haryana elections,” he added.
Several attempts to reach Chaudhary failed. She did not answer her phone.
Kiran Chaudhary had remained at loggerheads with Chief Minister Hooda in the previous government also (2005-09).
Bansi Lal, former defence and railway minister of India, is credited with putting Haryana on the development track as its chief minister (1968-75). He died in 2006 after prolonged illness.
