Mahendragarh

Despite a 2016 announcement by then-CM Manohar Lal Khattar to build a national-level memorial for 1857 freedom fighter Rao Tula Ram in Nasibpur, the project remains stalled. Many believe this is due to political rivalry between Minister Rao Narbir Singh and the descendants of Rao Tula Ram.

A Sub-Inspector with Delhi Police was arrested in Narnaul, Haryana, for allegedly accepting ₹25 lakh in dowry for his son's marriage and later demanding an additional ₹50 lakh and a Fortuner SUV. The accused's son is an HCS officer serving as Joint Commissioner in Faridabad Municipal Corporation.

The new Haryana cabinet under CM Nayab Saini includes two women ministers, Arti Singh Rao and Shruti Choudhry. Both come from influential political families and their appointments signify the BJP's strategy to balance regional and dynastic politics in the state.

Union Minister Rao Inderjit Singh announces BJP's likely victory in South Haryana based on initial polling trends. His daughter Arti Singh Rao, contesting from Ateli constituency, receives positive feedback from booth agents. Both leaders credit party workers for their dedicated campaign efforts. 

The Congress party has released its first list of 31 candidates for the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections. The list includes prominent figures like former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and newly-joined wrestler Vinesh Phogat. The party has also given a ticket to jailed legislator Surender Panwar from Sonipat.

Hooda, after his impressive roadshow in Ahirwal, today raised the demand for the Ahir Regiment. Hooda, showing his support for the demand for Ahir Regiment, posted his application submitted in Parliament to raise this issue in zero hour, on X. He stated, ‘Valour of Yaduvanshis needs no introduction. Ahirs have been at the forefront of safeguarding the motherland since time immemorial."

Notably, Rao’s reputation as a leader is continuously maligned by the corruption charges against him. Earlier, the name of Rao’s family also appeared in the infamous Adarsh Cooperative Society scam, and in 2022, the alleged scam of 1392 crore which also involved his son shocked everyone.  Interestingly, the stories of Rao Dan Singh’s luxury life are famous in the Ahirwal region. People who used to visit Dan Singh’s residence in Gurugram described it as a “Mahal” and usually bragged about their closeness to the rich MLA.

Kiran Chaudhary's decision to join BJP has sparked a political row in Haryana. Congress has filed a petition to disqualify her from the Tosham constituency, citing the anti-defection law. The party has accused her of betraying the people's trust and violating the law.

As it became clear that BJP is now going with Nayab Singh Saini as the CM face, discussions about Rao’s future in the saffron party, started in the political circles of the state. The fact that the Golf lover, Union Minster was not able to get a MLA ticket for her daughter Arti Rao in the last two assembly elections, was used by his opponents to challenge his might and political stature. 

Notably, the OBC community in Haryana accounts for around 30 percent of Haryana’s population. To woo the OBC voters, the BJP government had earlier established a sub-quota for municipal bodies for the BC-A category, which is the most backward among the state's Backward Classes. Interestingly, Rao Inderjit Singh and Krishan Pal Gurjar, both who assumed their respective charges as Union ministers in Modi 3.0 recently, come from the OBC community in the state.

In 2019, when Congress, once again failed to form government in the state, leaders like Randeep Singh Surjewala, Kiran Chaudhary, and Kumari Selja took charge and attacked Hooda for his ambitions of making his son Deependra Hooda Chief Minister of Haryana.  In the next 5 years, the quarrel over the CM post kept recurring, and those who considered themselves old loyalists of Congress and close to the Gandhi family staked a claim over the Chief minister’s post in Haryana.

The political landscape in Haryana has taken a dramatic turn with the defection of five-term MLA Kiran Choudhry and her daughter Shruti, a former MP, from the Congress to the BJP. This move has sparked a bitter war of words between the two parties, with the Haryana Congress leveling accusations of betrayal and initiating legal proceedings against Choudhry. 

But what goes against Shelja is that she is not a popular face outside the Hisar-Sirsa region while Hooda is known for his smart politics all over the state. While Randeep Singh Surjewala is still not a big name if we talk from the perspective of state politics, he is not anywhere near Hooda in terms of power and support in the state congress.

Kiran joined Congress on persuasion of Rajiv Gandhi and became the General Secretary of the All Indian Mahila Congress in 1986. Known for her closeness to the Gandhi family in her early years, Kiran was elected to the Delhi assembly as the deputy speaker in 1998. In 2005, she contested the by-election of the Haryana Legislative Assembly from the Tosham constituency which was earlier held by her husband but was left vacant due to his demise.

Manohar Lal Khattar’s appointment as the new power minister of India has also raised hope for new developments in the power sector, given that Manohar Lal’s transforming work in the power sector in Haryana made him the popular face of development especially in the backward regions of Haryana. The electricity problem which continuously plagued the villages of Haryana for decades was solved by Khattar during his ten years of rule in the state.  Importantly, Khattar assumes the power ministry at a juncture when the power sector in India is booming.

The political punditry says the future looks bleak for both the “Chautala” parties in Haryana. The political pundits even blame Dushyant for the Lok sabha debacle of both JJP and INLD, claiming that Dushyant’s “apostasy” and his love for power ruined people’s trust in the Chautala clan.

Rao Inderjit changed his loyalties from Congress to BJP before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and worked as the key force of BJP in the Ahirwal belt. The five-time parliamentarian and four-time MLA, Rao won a record fifth term from Gurugram and overall his sixth term as MP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.  Rao earlier too openly wished for the CM post and sees it with the pride of South Haryana.

As political parties in Haryana review the outcome of the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP's internal report has raised concerns over potential shrinking of its victory margins in some key constituencies. While the party remains optimistic about its overall win, the report points to challenges in Rohtak and Sirsa, and tough battles in four other seats. 

The traditional voting pattern seems to continue in the ahriwal of Haryana and people of the region preffered to vote on the face of the leaders which they voted for years. Rao inderjit Singh seemed to dominate the race of influence in Ahirwal with congress having no such face in the region.

In a major shot in the arm for BJP's campaign, PM Modi and HM Amit Shah will hold six huge rallies across key Haryana seats, aiming to galvanise voters and boost the party's bid to keep all 10 Lok Sabha seats.

Ground story and research work on cross-regional families in Mahendragarh. A detailed study by Ankit, Ph.D. scholar at the University of Wroclaw, Poland.

While the congress is still coping with the internal factionalism in the party unit, BJP already declared the list of candidates in the states. From south haryana BJP has repeated same candidates for Gurugram, Mahendragarh-bhiwani, Faridabad. Looking at the current political scenario south haryana seems an easy cake walk for the saffron party.

The Congress party is grappling with finalizing its Lok Sabha candidates in Haryana, with three seats - Bhiwani-Mahendragarh, Gurugram, and Rohtak - causing intense disagreements. Amid the impasse, the party is considering involving Rahul Gandhi to resolve the issue as the Central Election Committee and a sub-committee have failed to reach a consensus.

In a shocking incident at the Central University of Haryana, outsiders and anti-social elements attacked students on campus. The student organisation ABVP condemned the violence and called for strict action against the attackers. They also demanded that the university administration strengthen security measures to prevent such incidents and restore the trust of the student community.

After a tragic school bus accident in Mahendragarh that killed six children, the district authorities have finally called a road safety meeting, four months after the previous one. The meeting agenda reveals a stark contrast between the authorities' enforcement efforts before and after the accident, raising questions about their commitment to ensuring the safety of schoolchildren on the roads.

Haryana's education officials summoned for an emergency meeting to review the implementation of the "Surakshit School Vahan Policy" after a tragic school bus accident. The policy mandates safety features and committees to oversee transportation, but concerns have arisen about its ground-level enforcement, prompting a closer examination.

Haryana government introduces e-Kshatipurti portal for Yamunanagar district farmers to report crop damage following hailstorms. Farmers must register with family identity cards and 'Meri Fasal Mera Byora' portal. Portal operational until March 10. Deputy Commissioner underscores transparency and accessibility in relief efforts amidst widespread agricultural devastation.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar inaugurated 70 livestock ambulances and a toll-free vet call centre, reaffirming the state's commitment to livestock welfare. Additionally, initiatives such as Livestock Kisan Credit Cards and animal insurance schemes aim to support cattle rearers financially. The State Livestock Exhibition also honoured top milk producers, fostering agricultural innovation and recognition.

Prime Minister Modi will lay the foundation stone of AIIMS Rewari, Haryana, on February 16, marking a milestone in healthcare. The BJP plans a mega rally, expecting over 1 lakh attendees. AIIMS Rewari, with 750 beds and advanced facilities, signifies significant progress in healthcare infrastructure, promising better services for the region.

Central University of Haryana initiates a two-credit course on Valmiki Ramayana to impart scientific insights to undergraduate and postgraduate students. The curriculum aims to blend traditional Indian wisdom with modern perspectives, fostering an understanding of scientific, cultural, and historical aspects associated with Ramayana.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal announces the inauguration of 146 development projects, totalling over 2000 crores, focusing on education, health, roads, and water management in the Hisar district. The initiatives aim to deliver substantial benefits to residents and strategically coincide with the upcoming state elections, showcasing a commitment to comprehensive development.

Narnaul, a town located in Haryana hinterland, bordering the state of Rajasthan, mainly known for its large bus depot and single screen Mohini Theatre in the contemporary times, was once the centre of nobility and rich architecture in the past. From the ancient times of Mahabharata to the rule of Shah Quli Khan in medieval times and from revolt of Satnamis against Aurangzeb to the first war of Indian Independence in 1857 Narnaul was the centre of action.

Haryana experienced another earthquake late on Tuesday night, measuring 3.0 on the Richter scale with its epicentre in Panipat, as reported by the National Seismology Center (NCS).