In Haryana’s Kurukshetra, ‘corruption’ loosing relevance as poll issue among people

2024 Lok Sabha election in Kurukshetra sees corruption losing relevance among voters as parties target each other.

Even as the issue of ‘corruption’ remains a key aspect for political parties to target each other during the ongoing campaigning for the 2024 Lok Sabha election, the issue appears to be losing relevance among a section of voters in Haryana’s Kurukshetra.

As intense electoral campaigning is underway, Kurukshetra, which will vote on May 25, is witnessing practically a direct electoral contest between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), who as per the seat sharing agreement have fielded an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate in the constituency. The Indian National Lok Dal and Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) candidates are also in the fray.

In Haryana, as INDIA bloc partners, the AAP is contesting for the Kurukshetra constituency while the Congress is contesting the rest of the nine seats.

While the mercury continues to soar the electioneering in Kurukshetra has also hit top gear with candidates running across the urban and rural regions to leave maximum impact. The AAP has been stepping up efforts to pose a challenge to the ruling BJP, hitting out at the BJP government in the State, and accusing it of patronising ‘corruption’. AAP candidate Sushil Gupta has been alleging that corruption was rampant under the BJP regime and promises to eradicate it if given a chance. On the other hand, BJP leaders, including candidate Naveen Jindal, are propagating the government’s accomplishments, asserting that the administration had firmly acted against ‘corruption’ and given a ‘transparent’ government.

As the key political parties keep throwing salvos at each other during the intense campaigning, Amrik Singh, a farmer in Radaur town, is least concerned and apparently has lost faith in political parties, who have been making tall claims and promises surrounding the eradication of ‘corruption’ in the run to the 2024 Lok Sabha election. 

Mr. Singh, who owns around 10 acres of land, said, “The corruption issue appears to be insignificant these days. Hardly anyone is bothered about corruption. Also, political parties make tall claims surrounding corruption, but then they join hands for political gains. The AAP always kept criticising the Congress but now they have come together, and are jointly contesting, so where do they stand ethically?” 

“On the other hand, the BJP has fielded Naveen Jindal, who is an accused in the coal block allocation scam during the UPA government. The BJP invariably targeted him over corruption but now he is with them. The point is that neither the parties and probably not even majority people consider corruption as a serious issue,” he states, adding, “I will vote considering what the government – at Centre and in the State – did for me as a farmer.”