New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party’s attempt to reap dividends by fielding three globally feted sportspersons as its candidates in the Haryana assembly elections met with mixed success. While former India hockey captain Sandeep Kumar managed to win his seat, the two wrestlers fielded by the party – Olympic medallist Yogeshwar Dutt and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Babita Kumar Phogat – failed in their maiden attempt at electoral politics.
Sandeep Singh, who was the party candidate from the Jat-Sikh dominated Pehowa constituency in Kurukshetra, polled a total of 42,613 votes and defeated his nearest rival Mandeep Singh Chattha of the Congress, who got 37,299 votes, by a margin of 5,314 votes.
At the third spot was an independent, Swami Sandeep Onkar, who polled 21,775 votes, while Randhir Singh of Jannayak Janata Party followed with 14,846 votes.
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The seat was won by Jaswinder Singh Sandhu of Indian National Lok Dal in 2014 but Sandhu passed away earlier this year. However, with the assembly elections drawing close, a decision was taken to not conduct byelections to the seat.
With this win, Singh took his first step in the world of legislative politics. Known for his iconic drag flick and penalty corner conversions, Singh was a member of the Indian national hockey team for eight years till 2012.
Wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, who had joined BJP along with Singh on September 26, however, could not win his Baroda seat. He put up a strong fight but lost to sitting MLA Sri Krishan Hooda of the Congress by 4,840 votes.
While Hooda polled 42,566 votes, Dutt got 37,726. In the third place was Bhupinder Malik of Jannayak Janata Party.
In Dadri, wrestler Babita Phogat, who joined the BJP this August, also could not win despite winning a significant vote share of 20%. In 2014, the seat was won by Rajdeep of INLD.
This time an independent, Sombir, who polled 43,589 votes bagged the seat. He defeated Satpal Sangwan of the Jannayak Janata Party by 14,270 votes. Babita Kumari, who polled 24,502 votes, finished third.
Incidentally, Satpal Sangwan was a two-time MLA from the constituency. He was earlier with the Congress but moved to the JJP ahead of the polls after Congress decided to give its ticket to Major Nirpender Sangwan.