Never before have any bypolls taken center stage in Indian politics or got the kind of coverage and been the focus of the national media the way the recently concluded Kariana byelections were. With both the government and opposition making this a prestige battle, one which saw even the Prime Minister hit the streets, Kairana turned from a simple routine election into one on a referendum on both the state and central government .
The ???Battle of Kairana??? saw the emergence on the national stage of the young Jayant Chaudhary. Of course he has been active in politics for sometime, but to use cricket jargon, this particular ???innings’ in Kairana has cemented Jayant’s place in the squad. And what a performance it was. After all it is not easy to win a bypoll where the CM puts the entire might of his state machinery, makes it a prestige issue, then the entire force of the PM and his central government is applied and the candidate of the ruling party is fighting on a sympathy wave following the demise of her father.
Jayant Chaudhury , the young leader of the Rashtriya Lok Dal from Uttar Pradesh and a former member of 15th Lok Sabh is the grandson of Late Chaudhury Charan Singh, the former Prime Minister of India. Chaudhury Charan Singh, throughout his political career was determined to work for the welfare of the farmers and peasants and was popularly known as the ???Messiah of Indian Peasants.??? Since his death, many who knew Singh have ensured his life and work are remembered positively.
These perceptions enforce the notion that he was of a “higher category of leaders” in the areas of “intellect, personal integrity, and coherence of his economic and social thought??? . His association with causes dear to farming communities in India caused his memorial in New Delhi to be named Kisan Ghat (in Hindi, Kisan is the word for farmer). His birthday on 23 December is celebrated as Kisan Diwas in India. A commemorative postage stamp was issued by the government of India on the third death anniversary (May 29, 1990) of Charan Singh.
Jayant Chaudhury in his short career so far has tried to carry forward the legacy of his Grandfather. A post graduate from the London school of Economics, his effort to work for the peasants and farmers of Agrarian India has earned him a special position in the electoral politics of Uttar Pradesh. Not many know, but Jayant was one of the prime movers on the Land Acquisition issue and had introduced a Private Member Bill on Land Acquisition in the Lok Sabha for deliberation .
Coming from the effluent Jat society did not deter him from trying to break the caste based divisions which particularly dominate the politics of UP, and it was evident from the recently concluded Kairana Bypolls, where despite the BJP attempt to polarise the elections to alienate Muslims and ensure they are out of legislative bodies, Jayant ensured Tabassum Hassan, contested and won on a RLD ticket.
The BJP had ensured for the first time since India’s independence not a single muslim was sent to the LokSabha from Uttar Pradesh. Many leaders must have advised Jayant against giving the ‘hand pump’ symbol to a Muslim particularly on the backdrop of the polarisation created by the Late Hukum Singh in Kairana and the attempt to bring in Jinnah to once again make these elections a Hindu vs Muslim affair. But Jayant stuck to what he believed in.
When religion , caste based discrimination & communal polarization is dominating the Indian Politics, Jayant Chaudhury deserves praise for upholding the secular principle of India, as it is this secularism that has helped successfully to hold together a pluralistic & diverse society as large as India. This is not the first time Jayant attempted to break barriers.
Even earlier he gave tickets to candidates who had a spouse from ???Inter religion Marriage.??? His risk taking attitude in an attempt to sail against the tide of communal propaganda that tops the electoral campaigns presently payed him successfully in Kairana . His campaign based on farmers welfare & development rewarded him profit as ???Ganna finally won over Jinaah???
India???s present demographic dividend is dominated by the youths , who want to elect leaders who are perceived to be upright , honest , dynamic and upholds the principle of secularism & pluralism and can speak the language of ???jobs??? not ???mobs.??? Jayant Chaudhury is so far a reflection of this image .
In 2019 , it is well perceived that the United regional parties will play a key role in the centre and Jayant Chaudhury with his liberal views, ears on the ground, command over the farmers issues and connect with the youth can be a suitable leader with the alliance .
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