Bollywood Star Sanjay Dutt to Challenge Former Haryana CM in Karnal?

Karnal, Haryana - In a move that has grabbed political attention, the Congress party has reportedly included Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt's name in the panel for the Karnal Lok Sabha constituency in Haryana. This constituency has become a key battleground, with former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar of the BJP being the frontrunner. 

The decision to field Sanjay Dutt, who hails from a Brahmin family, was discussed in the meeting of the Congress Central Election Committee (CEC), which was attended by party leaders Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and KC Venugopal. However, the final decision will be made after further discussions with state-level leaders. 

The Congress party's move to field Sanjay Dutt against the formidable Manohar Lal Khattar is seen as a strategic attempt to leverage the actor's star power and his family's deep roots in the region. The party is also considering other candidates, such as Chaanak Sharma, the son of former Assembly Speaker Kuldip Sharma, former Speaker Ashok Arora, NCP leader Maratha Virendra Verma, and Congress national secretary Virendra Singh Rathore. However, the Congress leadership is reportedly convinced that Manohar Lal Khattar is in a strong position in Karnal, and they may opt for a high-profile candidate to challenge him.

Sanjay Dutt's connection to Haryana runs deep, tracing back to his family's roots in the region. The actor's late father, Sunil Dutt, was born in Jhelum, West Punjab (now in Pakistan) in 1929, and the family later settled in the Mandauli village of Yamunanagar district after the Partition. 

Sanjay Dutt's connection to Haryana runs deep, as his family has a long-standing association with the state. Sanjay Dutt's late father, Sunil Dutt, was a former minister in the Manmohan Singh government, and his sister, Priya Dutt, is a former Member of Parliament. The Dutt family has been frequent visitors to this ancestral village.

Interestingly, the Congress party's high command seems to have the backing of some senior Haryana leaders for the decision to field Sanjay Dutt. These leaders are also in favour of the party nominating the veteran actor as the Karnal candidate, perhaps recognizing the potential boost his star power and family legacy could provide.

The battle for the Karnal Lok Sabha seat is shaping up to be a closely watched contest, with the BJP, Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), and Congress all vying for the seat. The outcome of this race could have a significant impact on the political landscape of Haryana.