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Dera Sirsa plays games in
Haryana politics too
WSN Network
SIRSA: Punjab’s
neighboring Haryana state is going to elections, and it is time for
the Sirsa based Dera of Gurmeet Ram Rahim to flex some muscle,
something it has perfected in Punjab earlier. Political parties in
Haryana want the crucial vote bank affiliated with the Dera and so
leaders from across the political horizon have started doing rounds
of the controversial Sirsa-based sect.
A recent
Twenty-20 cricket tournament organized by the sect at Sirsa saw a
large presence of several hopefuls, wannabe MLA, including some
sitting legislators. At the penultimate match, where Haryana
Congress president Phool Chand Mullana was the chief guest, many
Congressmen lined up to meet the sect chief as he came to meet the
players.
The facade of
the impromptu arrangement was kept in place even though every action
was well rehearsed. It is known that several MLAs from Haryana have
already been seeking an appointment with the rape and murder accused
dera head while Indian National Lok Dal MLA Gyan Chand, BJP’s former
state president Ganeshi Lal, BJP kisan wing president Subash Barala
have already visited the sect recently.
Gurmeet Ram
Rahim is known to be a not so indirect player in politics and a
political wing committee in the dera actually meets and takes
decisions to decide for followers which candidate to back, and to
what extent. Past experience shows that support may come wholesale
or in retail. While in the 2007 elections, Dera has supported the
Congress, later that support was candidate wise in
Punjab.
The Dera factor
has been crucial in parts of Punjab and Rajasthan but while the
Badals have known to have wooed the dera tactically and behind the
scenes, in Haryana the exercise is carried out openly. On the face
of it, the Oppostion is not very hopeful of the Dera’s support.
9
September 2009
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