Rohtak, May 21 (IANS) The third generation of the Hooda clan in politics, Deepender Hooda, who is in the fray from the Jat-dominated Congress bastion Rohtak, which was won by his family nine times and three consecutive terms by him, is aiming the revival of the Congress with the parliamentary polls.

He’s extensively campaigning in a blistering heatwave in this parliamentary constituency that spreads over nine assembly segments to ensure his return to the lower house of Parliament. He is currently a member of the upper house.

Deepender’s father Bhupinder Hooda, who is campaigning aggressively across all 10 parliamentary constituencies, has represented the Rohtak seat, the state’s political capital, four times, while his grandfather Ranbir Singh Hooda twice.

Predicting that people now want to change the government in the state too, Deepender, who on average covers 25-30 villages in a day by holding public meetings and face-to-face interactions, told IANS the Lok Sabha election has set the ball rolling for the assembly elections in Haryana too that are less than five months away now.

“People want change in the state government too. First, the Congress-AAP alliance will root out the BJP from the state in the Lok Sabha polls by ensuring a win on all 10 seats. Later, we will show the exit door to the BJP from the state’s helm,” said a confidant Deepender, who believes anti-incumbency is banking high on the 10-year helm of the saffron party in the state.

Out of the 18 parliamentary polls in Rohtak, the Congress has won 11 times.

In the 2019 general elections BJP’s Arvind Sharma, a surgeon by profession, defeated Deepender by a slender margin of 7,503 votes.

Deepender’s major loss was in the Ahir-dominated Kosli constituency, despite major gains from his family’s pocket borough, Garhi Sampla Kiloi.

Deepender and Sharma are in a straight contest again.

In his campaign to reach Parliament for the fourth time, the 46-year-old Deepender speaks of the development done during his three stints. Also in his speeches, he tries to drive home the point that winning from the Rohtak Lok Sabha not only ensures a ticket to the Parliament but also to Chandigarh, the state’s capital.

“I am focusing on the development works done by me and the previous Congress governments in the state. I am telling the people that only the Congress can bring them back on the path of overall growth,” said a soft-spoken Deepender, who completed an MBA from the US, known to be an easy access to the public.

During his campaign, the junior Hooda was seen making crispy and crunchy “jalebi” at a roadside stall. In his public meetings, women with their faces covered in a ghunghat (veil) are coming in strength to raise issues concerning them and the treatment meted out to wrestlers.

His rival Arvind Sharma, 62, a dental surgeon by profession, has been promising to bring the Metro to Sampla in Rohtak district and announced to quit politics, if he failed to do so. His vote percentage was 47 per cent in 2019, just .6 per cent higher than his nearest rival Deepender.

Four-time MP Sharma, who largely banks on PM Modi’s wave, previously represented the Sonipat and Karnal Lok Sabha seats.

Two-time chief minister Bhupinder Hooda, the father of Deepender, rose to fame by defeating former deputy prime minister Devi Lal thrice.

“It is only the Hoodas who are emotionally attached to grassroots. Deepender Hooda, as an MP of the Rajya Sabha, provided funds from his discretionary funds for constructing toilets in our village school. Our MP (Arvind Sharma) was not visible in the past five years, even amidst tough times of Covid-19,” octogenarian farmer Naib Rathi in the Badli assembly constituency in Jhajjar district told IANS.

“If Rohtak has been developed so far, it is because of Bhupinder and Deepender,” he said while admitting the farmer protests weigh heavily on the minds of the electorates in rural areas.

Echoing similar sentiments, another villager Ram Yadav, while pointing towards bad roads, said, “Yeh chhora hamara hai, hum isko vote karenge, aur yeh kaam bhi karega (He is our son, we will vote for him and he will work for us.”

The Hooda junior was the only Congress candidate among 10 in the state to make it to the 2014 Lok Sabha despite being bedridden then.

“The victory of Deepender Hooda will mean the revival of the Congress just ahead of the assembly elections,” a political analyst who wished to remain anonymous told IANS.

The stakes are high for Hooda senior in these elections as he is trying to prove that he is still a mass leader and could lead the party in the forthcoming assembly polls also, a senior party leader said.

Hooda was marginalised after the party’s two consecutive defeats in the assembly polls. Still, he remains the Congress’ top leader, despite an ongoing struggle with a rival camp comprising former Union minister Kumari Selja and Randeep Surjewala, who owes proximity to the Gandhis.

The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) has not fielded a candidate for Rohtak, while its offshoot Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) has given a ticket to its youth wing state chief Ravinder Sangwan.

As per the INDIA bloc’s seat-sharing pact, the Congress is contesting nine seats in the state, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is in the fray from Kurukshetra.

The BJP and its former coalition partner JJP are contesting on 10 seats each and the INLD on seven seats.

In the Rohtak Lok Sabha seat, there are 18,86,796 voters who will cast votes along with nine other seats in the state on May 25, while the results will be out on June 4.

(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at gulatiians@gmail.com)

–IANS

vg/uk

Chennai, May 21 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) was conducting raids at the residences of two Coimbatore-based doctors in Tamil Nadu.

According to the investigating agency sources, the raids were connected to the blast at the Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru on March 1. A low-intensity IED bomb had exploded at the cafe injuring 10 people.

According to sources, two teams of NIA were conducting the raids at the residences of the two doctors at Narayanaguru Street in Sai Baba colony.

There is a heavy deployment of local police in front of both residences to prevent any untoward incident.

Two suspects in the case, Mussavir Hussain Saheb and Abdul Matheen Thaha, were arrested in West Bengal on April 12.

On October 23, 2022, there was a car bomb explosion in front of the Arulmigu Kottai Sanagameswar temple in Ukkadam, Coimbatore. Later a charred body of a 29-year-old youth, Jamesha Mubin was found at the blast site. The suicide bomber was planning to explode himself along with the car near a market on October 23, 2022, which was Diwali eve. However, the blast occurred before the expected time thus saving several people. Several people and organisations in the Coimbatore region have been under the radar of the Central agencies ever since this attack.

–IANS

aal/dpb

Ahmedabad, May 21 (IANS) After the arrest of four suspected IS terrorists at Ahmedabad airport, the security at the Narendra Modi Stadium here, which is set to host the first qualifier of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Tuesday, has been enhanced.

The clash between Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad is expected to attract thousands of fans, and the Ahmedabad Police have ramped up security measures to ensure safety, said the officials.

In light of recent events, the police have been put on high alert. A security presence will be maintained inside and outside the stadium, the officials added.

Giving the details of the deployment, the police said that over 3,000 personnel, including five Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCP) and 10 Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACP), will be deployed.

Additionally, officials shared that more than 800 private security personnel will be in the stadium premises.

A police convoy will be stationed at the stadium to preempt any incidents during the match.

The heightened security comes in response to the arrest of four suspected IS terrorists at Ahmedabad airport on May 20.

Officials shared that these individuals, identified as Sri Lankan nationals, were arrested before they could execute any plans during the ongoing IPL season.

The suspects were found to have travelled from Sri Lanka to Chennai and then to Ahmedabad.

The officials added that their arrest has led to increased vigilance and comprehensive security arrangements to safeguard the fans and players attending today’s match.

–IANS

janvi/dpb

Raichur, May 21 (IANS) In a tragic incident in Koravinahala village of Karnataka’s Raichur district, a four-year-old girl fell victim to a stray dog attack and succumbed to injuries on Tuesday.

The deceased has been identified as Lavanya, daughter of Keralinga.

Fifteen days ago, seven children were attacked by a stray dog while they were playing. Lavanya was bitten on the back of her neck and other parts of her body.

Lavanya was discharged from the hospital two days ago and was under treatment at her residence. Unfortunately, she succumbed to her injuries. The other children who were attacked by the dog are still under treatment.

Keralinga, Lavanya’s father, stated that his daughter was attacked right in front of their residence.

He urged the authorities to take action to ensure that other children in the village do not meet the same fate as his daughter.

The villagers said that to date, the authorities have not visited the village to enquire about the affected children. The dog was killed by the villagers on the same day of the attack.

Kariyappa, the Panchayat Development Officer of Samagakunta village, said that he got information about the incident on Tuesday and will visit the village.

He said that a rescue team would be sent to look out for stray dogs that were attacking people.

“We received information that the dog was not local and had strayed from a different region. While traveling to another place, it attacked the children,” he said.

The villagers have expressed their outrage alleging negligence by the authorities.

–IANS

mka/svn

Bhubaneswar, May 21 (IANS) Amid continuous attack by political parties over his Lord Jagannath gaffe, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson and Puri Lok Sabha candidate Sambit Patra on Tuesday apologised for the “slip of the tongue” and announced to observe a three-day fast to offer penance.

“I will observe fast for three days to repent for the unintentional remark due to the slip of tongue,” Patra said in a video message on X.

“I am deeply pained by my mistake regarding Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannath Ji. I bow down at the feet of Mahaprabhu Sri Jagannath Ji and seek forgiveness,” he posted.

Patra, during an interview with a local television channel on Monday, remarked that Lord Jagannath is a devotee (bhakt) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Patra’s remark drew strong criticism with the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) calling it an insult to Lord Jagannath and Odias across the world.

“The Lord is the greatest Symbol of Odia Asmita. Calling Mahaprabhu a bhakt of another human being is totally condemnable. I strongly denounce the statement made by the BJP Puri Lok Sabha candidate and I appeal to the BJP to keep the Lord above any political discourse. By this you have deeply hurt Odia Asmita and this will be remembered and condemned by people of Odisha for a very long time,” Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik posted on X on Monday.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also condemned the statement by calling it the “height of arrogance”.

–IANS

gyan/svn