The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the schedule for Rajay Sabha polls of 56 seats of Rajya Sabha in 15 states and the polls will be held on February 27. With the announcement of Rajya Sabha elections, political battle has intensified regarding the polls over the single Rajay Sabha seat of Haryana and in view of the its strengthen position and MLA’s required proportion, the BJP is most likely to emerge victorious in Rajay Sabha polls and gearing up in this regard, the state BJP leadership is try to kill two birds with one stone ahead of parliamentary polls-first the saffron party will prove its mettle and dominance ahead of parliamentary and assembly polls while second, the ruling BJP is likely to woo the upset Jat community by fielding any party leader in the elections. Political experts are of the opinion that in view of the caste equations.
It is a noticeable fact that the Jat community has been at loggerheads with the BJP for a long time over several issues including farmers; agitation due to three contentious laws withdrawal later and the women wrestlers’ sexual harassment case. Apart from aforesaid, the political analysts are of the opinion that removal of Jat bigshot OP Dhankhar from the post of state BJP president in the year 2023 also annoyed the Jat community to some extent. In wake of the prevailing political scenario, It’s caste polarization that is most likely to play a key role in forthcoming elections and no faction seems in a position to neglect the caste equations. Notably, the Jats constitute a sizable chunk of vote bank in the state which is believed to be around 30 percent of the total votes. The Jat community however remained wary of the BJP, preferring to stay with the Jat leaders of the Congress, JJP and the INLD.
Following the differences and the tussle with the ruling saffron BJP during its second term over the aforementioned issues, the Jat community is being believed to be upset and disgruntled with the party.
There are strong Jat leaders in all political factions in Haryana. At present, Congress bigwigs Bhupendra Singh Hooda is believed to have the unilateral hold widespread acceptability in the Jat community presently. Unlike Hooda, the BJP lacks such bigwigs who galvanize the Jat voters. Even the BJP high command is pretty aware of the party’s widened rift with the Jat community and in a bid to woo Jat voters, the party may give ticket to any of the leaders namely Subhash Barala, Captain Abhimanyu and OP Dhankar. It is pertinent to mention that assembly polls held in 2019 proved to be a nightmare for BJP jat leaders including Subhash Barala, Captain Abhimanyu and OP Dhankhar contested the election unsuccessfully facing fiasco. Political experts opine that the ruling BJP was able to transcend Haryana’s deeply entrenched Jat politics during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections – where it swept all winning all 10 parliamentary seats but the party does not seem in a comfortable position ahead of the assembly election due a few months later due to several factors. . It is noteworthy that notification for Rajya Sabha elections will be issued on 8 February. Rajya Sabha member from BJP D.P. Vats’ tenure is ending in April and elections are to be held in Haryana for a seat falling vacant at the end of his term.