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Former Devi Lal was the only candidate who consisted three LS seats

Former Deputy Prime Minister Late Chaudhary Devi Lal known as Tau Devi Lal among the people who needs no introduction in National politics and has been a heavyweight leader in the state well as National politics, was elected member of Lok Sabha twice, Rajya Sabha member once, MLA for 8 times which clearly indicates his […]

Former Deputy Prime Minister Late Chaudhary Devi Lal known as Tau Devi Lal among the people who needs no introduction in National politics and has been a heavyweight leader in the state well as National politics, was elected member of Lok Sabha twice, Rajya Sabha member once, MLA for 8 times which clearly indicates his political stature and widespread influence among the people. He held the portfolios of Deputy Prime Minister of the country and Chief Minister of Haryana four times, two each. Since the parliamentary polls are drawing near, it is worth mentioning that Chaudhary Devilal holds an interesting record in his name from the point of view of parliamentary elections. In the year 1989, Devi Lal contested elections from three parliamentary seats falling in Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan simultaneously and is the only leader in the country to contest parliamentary elections from three different states at the same time. While contesting polls from three Lok Sabha seats, he was elected MP from Rohtak seat of Haryana and Sikar seat of Rajasthan, whereas he lost the election from Firozpur parliamentary seat of Punjab. It is noteworthy that parliamentary elections were held in the country in the year 1989. During that time non-Congress parties were united and Janata Dal was the main constituent party. Devilal was a big shot then having widespread acceptability across the country and accepted as the pivot of opposition unity in the country.

In that election Ch. Devi Lal filed nomination from Firozpur in Punjab and Rohtak parliamentary constituency in Haryana and later contested from Sikar also and thus contesting polls simultaneously on three parliamentary constituencies led to widespread discussions in political corridors and the same brought him limelight at National level. It is noteworthy that during his political career he contested the polls from different seats and kept changing his Lok Sabha seats he fought from. In his political career, he contested 3 elections from his home district Sirsa and often kept changing seats to contest elections. He was an elected MLA from Sirsa assembly seat in 1952 and 1959. Further he successfully contested the assembly polls from Rodi seat of Sirsa district and after this he never contested elections from his home district Sirsa again in his political career. Chaudhary Devi Lal was elected an MLA from Bhattu in 1977 while from Meham in 1982, 1985 and 1987, similarly he was elected MP from Sonipat in 1980 and Rohtak and Sikar in 1988.

Balram Jakhar, an MP from Sikar and Speaker of the Lok Sabha at that time, challenged Devi Lal to contest the election from Sikar parliamentary seat and in a response to this, accepting the challenge Devi Lal filed his nomination from Sikar and showcased his strength by defeating the Congress bigwigs Balram Jakhar with a huge margin of 3,90,243 votes while contesting from Rohtak Lok Sabha seat he defeated the Congress candidate Hardwari Lal by a huge margin of more than 2 lakh votes but he could not survive the polls from Firojpur Lok Sabha seat securing third position loosing the seat to Dhyan Singh defeated Jagmeet Singh of Congress by a margin of 32 thousand 840 votes. Thus, MP was elected from Rohtak in Haryana and Sikar in Rajasthan but failed to win the Firozpur seat in Punjab.

What is of utmost importance to mention here is that on his lines, his family and heirs also contested many elections from areas other than the home district. His elder son Omprakash Chauta, five time CM was elected MLA from Ellenabad in 1970, Darba in 1990, Narwana in 1996 and Rodi in 2000 and Rodi in 2005 and in 2009. Similarly, Dr. Ajay Singh Chautala the grandson of Devi Lal was elected an MLA from Dataram Garh and Nohar seats both falling in adjoining Rajasthan in 1990 and 1993 respectively, Dabwali in 2009 and MP from Bhiwani in 1999. In the same manner, in 2019, his granddaughter-in-law Naina Chautal Badhra and great-grandson Dushyant Chautala were elected MLAs from Badhra and Uchana seats respectively. Earlier in 2014, Dushyant Chautala contested Lok sabha polls successfully from Hisar seat.

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