Haryana's Hisar ready for triple-threat clash of clans

Haryana's Hisar will see a colossal clash of clans in the Lok Sabha elections, as three of the state's most prominent political families have crossed swords here. Vying for this seat are the Chautalas, the Bishnois and the Singhs, as Hisar has unseated neighbouring Rohtak as home to the campaign's most high-profile electoral battle.

The BJP had declared IAS officer Brijender Singh as its candidate on Sunday. The saffron party had considered the state's unique caste dynamics, considered the merits of fielding a Jat or non-Jat candidate here, before finalising on the bureaucrat, who comes from an illustrious family. He is the great grandson of Jat farmer leader Chhotu Ram, and son of ex-Congress MP Birender, while mother Prem Lata is the Jind MLA.

The Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), a breakaway faction of the INLD, is likely to field someone from the Chautala clan. While speculations earlier said it might be sitting MP Dushyant Chautala, it now appears that his mother Naina may be the party's choice since Dushyant is likely to the chief ministerial candidate for Assembly elections due in Haryana later this year.

Dushyant, a political greenhorn, had ripped through the Modi wave in 2014, defeating seasoned politicians like Kuldeep Bishnoi. In the process, he also became the youngest ever member of Parliament in India's history at the age of 26.

In the Congress circles, meanwhile, bets are being placed on Bishnoi, son of former CM Bhajan Lal, who fought from Hisar in 2014 on a BJP-HJC alliance ticket. However, he is also keen on launching his son Bhavya into active politics, and may choose the same Hisar seat to do so. It's said that the party is likely to name its candidate this week.

Historic Hisar

The Haryana constituency is likely to unseat neighbouring Rohtak as the most high-profile Lok Sabha electoral battle this time, with a number of prominent names in the fray