The BJP looks beyond the experienced leader in favour of a new face for the Sriganganagar seat
With larger aspirations, the BJP nominated Priyanka Balan, a retired Public Health Department engineer’s daughter, in the Sriganganagar (SC) seat, which has a sizable population of Punjabis with wider social equations in nearby Abohar and Fazilka. This decision was made after Nihal Chand Meghwal, a five-time MP, was denied a ticket.
Priyanka, who has an MBA and was born into a Meghwal (SC) family, is the head of the Anoopgarh Municipal Council. Anoopgarh is part of the Bikaner parliamentary constituency. Kuldeep Indora, a candidate for Congress, is also from Anoopgarh.
The Sadulshahar, Sriganganagar, Srikaranpur, Suratgarh, and Raisinghnagar Assembly constituencies of the Sriganganagar district and the Hanumangarh, Sangria, and Peelibanga segments of the Hanumangarh district comprise the Sriganganagar Lok Sabha constituency.
Nihal Chand Meghwal’s denial of a ticket for the 2024 Lok Sabha election was a surprise move by the BJP, but according to Ramesh Rajpal, chairman of the Sriganganagar-Hanumangarh Arora Mahasabha, BJP candidates in six out of eight segments lost the Rajasthan Assembly elections, despite the saffron party’s stunning victory in November 2023. One of the causes was the animosity among the Arora Khatri community, since Nihal Chand was said to have been against providing tickets to any of the clan’s prominent members. The daughter-in-law of an Arora family, Priyanka, is now receiving assistance from the Arora Mahasabha.
In the parliamentary seat of Sriganganagar, Panna Lal Barupal of the Congress won in 1952, 1957, 1962, 1967, and 1971. The BJP’s Nihal Chand Meghwal won in 1996, 1999, 2004, 2014, and 2019. He also briefly held the position of Minister of State in the NDA administration.
Priyanka and Kuldeep Indora will compete against BSP candidate Devkaran Nayak on April 19. Kuldeep has previously run in an unsuccessful Vidhan Sabha election. Women were actively campaigning for Kuldeep, who was endorsed by veteran farmers’ leader Maninder Singh Mann on Saturday. Kuldeep’s wife Seema formerly held the position of chairwoman of the Anoopgarh Municipal Council.
