Until 2014, Haryana’s political landscape was largely shaped by a few influential families, including the Bhajan Lal, Devi Lal, Bansi Lal, and Bhupinder Hooda clans, which dominated the state’s politics for few decades. However, the rise of the BJP marked a dramatic shift in the state’s political dynamics.
As the BJP emerged as a dominant force in the state, the influence of these once-powerful families began to wane. The exception to this trend is the Hooda family, which, despite the broader changes, continues to maintain a significant political presence not just in Rohtak and Sonipat but across Haryana.
In the latest parliamentary elections, the political scene in Haryana underwent a dramatic transformation. The Congress party managed to secure five seats, while the BJP claimed an equal number. Meanwhile, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), under Abhay Chautala, and the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), led by Dushyant Chautala, faced substantial setbacks.
Abhay Chautala of the INLD, who contested in the Kurukshetra parliamentary constituency, finished in third place with approximately 6.5% of the vote. Similarly, JJP’s Naina Chautala, the sitting MLA of Bhadra and Dushyant Chautala’s mother, ended up in fifth place in Hisar Parliament, capturing only about 1.9% of the vote.
The Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), which won ten assembly seats in the 2019 elections, now holds only three seats – Dushyant Chautala from Uchana Kalan, Naina Chautala from Bhadra, and Amarjeet Danda from Julana assembly – after seven MLAs either switched to Congress or BJP.
During my visit to Kabarcha village in Uchana Kalan, where Dushyant Chautala is the MLA, I met Rakesh, a local resident who mentioned that the village’s support has shifted. Initially, the voters were aligned with the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and then with the JJP following the INLD’s split in 2019. However, now the villagers seem to be leaning towards the Congress party, driven by a desire for change in the state and Bhupinder Hooda’s influence, which cannot be ignored.
SC voters abandoning regional parties
For the upcoming assembly election, the JJP has formed an alliance with Chandra Shekhar Azad’s Azad Samaj Party (ASP), a party with minimal presence in the state. This alliance appears unlikely to be mutually beneficial. Additionally, the JJP’s decline is attributed to growing voter dissatisfaction, especially in the Hisar district – a traditional stronghold of the late Chaudhary Devi Lal and former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala.
The JJP’s post poll alliance with the BJP and its perceived insensitivity during the farmer protests have significantly eroded its support. Many viewed this alliance as discordant, further contributing to the JJP’s diminishing influence.
Similarly, the INLD, another political force with legacy politics, has faced a significant decline, securing only one seat in the 2019 assembly elections, with Abhay Chautala winning from the Ellenabad constituency.
For the upcoming assembly elections, the INLD has formed an alliance with the BSP to attract SC voters. However, Suman Bhatnagar, a prominent journalist based in Ambala, suggests that this alliance is unlikely to make a substantial impact.
According to Bhatnagar, recent elections indicate that SC voters have been increasingly aligning with either the Congress or BJP, which diminishes the potential effectiveness of the INLD-BSP coalition. These shifting political dynamics in Haryana highlight a departure from the previously dominant family-based political structure, as new alliances and evolving voter sentiments continue to reshape the state’s political landscape.
Another prominent figure from legacy politics, Kiran Chaudhary, a former Congress leader and daughter-in-law of former Haryana Chief Minister late Bansi Lal, has seen significant shifts in her political career in recent years. After being denied a ticket by the Congress Party for the Bhiwani-Mahendragarh parliamentary constituency, Chaudhary resigned and joined the BJP.
Subsequently, she was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the BJP while serving as an MLA from the Tosham assembly constituency which falls under the Bhiwani district. Despite these roles, her political influence appears to be increasingly confined to this seat. Speculation suggests that her daughter, Shruti Chaudhary, a former MP from Bhiwani-Mahendragarh, may contest the Tosham assembly constituency in the upcoming elections.
This potential move indicates a narrowing of the Bansi Lal family’s political reach. However, Shruti Chaudhary faces significant challenges, particularly given the Jat dominance in the Tosham constituency and the influence of Bhupinder Hooda, whose sway among the Jat community could complicate her electoral prospects.
Similarly, the Bhajan Lal family, once a formidable political force, has seen its influence wane. The family’s current stronghold is limited to the Adampur assembly seat, where Bhavya Bishnoi, the grandchild of former chief minister late Bhajan Lal, is the MLA. Kuldeep Bishnoi and his son Bhavya Bishnoi switched from Congress to BJP in 2022.
Despite this shift, the Bishnoi family’s influence has steadily declined. Bhavya Bishnoi’s attempt to contest the Hisar parliamentary seat in 2019 on a Congress ticket ended in third place with around 15% of the vote. Local journalists attribute the family’s decline to their frequent shifts in allegiance.
Initially forming the Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) in 2007, which was later merged into Congress under Kuldeep Bishnoi’s leadership in 2016, and subsequently moving to BJP in 2022, the Bishnoi family’s continuous realignments have led to diminished public faith and limited their influence to a single seat.
The Hooda family remains a dominant force
In the political landscape of Haryana, Bhupinder Hooda stands out as a towering figure whose influence remains significant even a decade after his tenure as Chief Minister. Serving from 2005 to 2014, Hooda was the first Chief Minister in Haryana’s history to win two consecutive terms.
His legacy includes transformative projects such as the Metro- Lane extension to Bahadurgarh and Gurugram, and also the “Padak Lao, Pad Pad Pao” (Bring a medal, get a government job), which continue to be remembered fondly by residents. Despite a decade away from the state’s top office, Hooda’s sway extends across various castes and regions, reinforcing his position as a major political force.
In the most recent parliamentary elections, Hooda’s strategic skill was evident. He played a crucial role in distributing nearly all of the Congress party’s tickets, with only two or three exceptions. This maneuvering resulted in his camp securing victories in four key parliamentary constituencies – Sonipat, Rohtak, Ambala, and Hisar – demonstrating Hooda’s enduring influence not only in his traditional strongholds but across Haryana as a whole.
During my recent visit to Haryana’s Jat-dominated regions of Rohtak, Jhajjar, Sonipat, Hisar, Jind, and Panipat, I observed that Hooda’s popularity surpasses mere party affiliation. In Dayal Chowk, Sonipat, I spoke with a local fruit vendor named Kapil, who remarked, “In Haryana, Congress is synonymous with Hooda. If he were to leave the party, Congress might struggle to survive. That’s how significant Hooda’s popularity is.”
Adding a new dimension to Haryana politics, Deepinder Singh Hooda, Bhupinder Hooda’s son and a four-time MP from Rohtak, has been increasingly prominent. In the recent parliamentary elections, Deepinder secured one of the highest victory margins after Rahul Gandhi.
Under his leadership, the Haryana Congress has launched the “Haryana Mange Hisab” Yatra, a statewide campaign addressing pressing issues such as unemployment, irregularities in the Parivar Pehchan Patra, Agniveer recruitment, drug addiction, and alleged corruption scandals from the past decade of BJP governance.
I attended one of the Yatra’s events in Ambala, where the reception was overwhelmingly positive. Attendees voiced their belief that the Yatra transcends party politics, representing a genuine response to the public’s concerns. Karamveer Chaudhary, who travelled from Kalka assembly to join the event, noted that while people hold hope for Deepinder Hooda, they continue to hold Bhupinder Hooda in high regard due to his past achievements.
Deepinder Hooda, often referred to as Junior Hooda, is recognised for his active engagement and direct interactions with the public. This approach contrasts with his father’s more reserved style, contributing to his growing acknowledgment and support among both younger and older generations.
While Bhupinder Hooda’s legacy remains a powerful force in Haryana politics, Deepinder Hooda’s rising prominence suggests a dynamic shift within the Congress party, reflecting a blend of respect for the past and optimism for the future. Hooda’s influence continue to dominate the state at a time when the other prominent political families of Haryana seem to confined to one or two assembly seats.
Aamir Shakil is a political researcher based in Delhi.
