Voter Concerns in Haryana’s Ahirwal Region: Focus on Employment, Development, and Infrastructure

After completing their morning shifts, a group of bus drivers employed by a notable private school in Haryana’s Rewari were found playing cards under a tree on Friday morning. Nearby, other drivers engaged in a spirited political discussion at a tea stall, just a week before the crucial Assembly elections.

While enjoying their tea, Gajender, a local from Bharawas village in the Bawal Assembly constituency, noted that the sentiment in his village is predominantly supportive of the BJP. He mentioned that around 40 young individuals in his village, which has over 2,500 voters, secured jobs through merit during the BJP administration. He highlighted the job of a clerk held by someone from a financially disadvantaged Scheduled Caste family who couldn’t afford to pay bribes, a situation he describes as “unthinkable” in previous governance. Raj Kumar from Gokalpur village agreed, stating that many young people from his area found jobs as teachers and police personnel based on merit, providing a “ray of hope to the poor,” though he acknowledged that current job offerings were still insufficient.

Supporting this view, Rajendra from Siha village in the Kosli Assembly constituency commented on the overall progress made in the Ahirwal belt — an area largely influenced by the Yadav community. The region, which falls under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category, has witnessed substantial development over the last decade.

“National Highway 152D now connects this area to Chandigarh, and parts of the Delhi-Mumbai highway are also accessible. Additionally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently laid the foundation for an All-India Institute of Medical Sciences at Majra Mustil Balkhi village, located just 25 km away,” Rajendra mentioned.

He added that several projects started during the Congress administration, including the Kundli-Manesar Expressway, have been completed under BJP leadership.

The Ahirwal belt, situated in the southern part of the agrarian state and bordering Rajasthan, saw the BJP achieve significant electoral success, winning all 11 Assembly seats in the region in 2014 after influential community leader Rao Inderjit Singh joined the party. The BJP retained eight Assembly segments in the following elections, with the Congress claiming two seats and an Independent candidate winning one.

In Rathiwas village, dominated by the Jat community, voter Jagbir expressed concern over limited job prospects. He criticized rising prices and challenges arising from the BJP government’s e-initiatives, stating these are major issues in southern Haryana. As a small farmer, he lamented that the Agnipath scheme had dashed the hopes of many youths seeking permanent positions in the Army.

In Ateli, one of Mahendragarh district’s four Assembly constituencies, Arti Rao, daughter of Rao Inderjit Singh, is vying against Congress’s Anita Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party’s Thakur Attar Lal in an intense multi-cornered contest.

Rattan Lal Sharma, a former journalist and resident of Dhanoda village in Ateli, mentioned that farmer and wrestler protests have had little resonance in the region. Krishan Kumar, 47, added that the area felt neglected during the Congress era, which primarily focused on the Sonipat-Rohtak-Jhajjar belt, the traditional stronghold of former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

“In the last decade, basic amenities like drinking water, roads, and electricity have seen improvements, although groundwater depletion remains a pressing issue,” retired police Assistant Sub-Inspector Anoop Yadav noted. He expressed concern that a Congress return could potentially lead to regression in the development achieved.

In Nangal Chaudhary, Haryana Minister Abhe Singh Yadav from the BJP is facing tough competition from Congress’s Manju Chaudhary, the wife of a former Jannayak Janta Party leader. Local sweet shop owner Vijay remarked that there isn’t significant opposition to the Agnipath scheme, despite the area’s strong historical ties to military service.

Civic issues such as poor urban infrastructure leading to severe waterlogging during monsoons, pollution, traffic congestion, and grievances over the expansion of the Metro network and public transportation have become critical concerns for voters in urban areas like Gurugram and Badshahpur.

Rao Inderjit Singh’s frequent claims regarding his aspirations for the chief ministership have resonated with the local electorate, with many believing that having a Chief Minister from South Haryana could further enhance regional development.