Chaudhary Dharambir Singh: A Political Journey From Sarpanch To Parliament

Chaudhary Dharambir Singh was a congress loyalist who turned to BJP when he was declined ticket from Congress, allegedly due to the influence of dynastic politics. He is famous as the arch rival and slayer of three generations of one of the most prominent political family, that of former Chief Minister Bansi Lal.

Chaudhary Dharambir Singh, 69, was a four-time MLA in Haryana Assembly, including thrice from Congress ticket. Singh has been elected to Lok Sabha from Bhiwani- Mahendragarh constituency for two consecutive terms, in 2014 and 2019, following he quit from Congress. This year, Singh eying a third consecutive win from the same seat.

Dharambir has started his political journey from his village Talu, just 25 kilometres from Bhiwani. He debut was by winning the election of Sarpanch, in Grama Panchayat, in his own village in 1983. In the same year, Singh became a member of Panchayat Samiti and occupied as chair of President of Bawanikheda Panchayat samiti. Five years later, in 1987, he contested from Toshar Assembly seat on Lok Dal Party ticket. Interestingly, on the same election, he made his parliamentary political entry by defeating Chief Minister of the state Chaudhary Bansi Lal by 2187 votes.

The following two assembly elections, in 1991 and 1996, Dharambir tasted failure against the same opponent. Again, he gained momentum in his political journey, in 2000, he was elected to assembly, this time on a Congress ticket. Later in 2005, he tried his luck changing the constituency to Badhra assembly seat. He did it. While the narrative was that ‘Dharambir, wherever you put him, he would win’, and Congress pitched him in Sohna Tawadu Assembly constituency. When the crown of victory placed on his head, he again pondered to place his political presence somewhere bigger than the state, to the Parliament.

When he expressed desire to make entry to the lower house in 2014, Congress denied him ticket as the party wanted to field Sruthi Chaudhary, the granddaughter of former chief minister of the state, Bansi Lal, and daughter of congress leader and MLA from Tosham, Kiran Choudhary. Dharambir resigned from the party and posts, and revolted against dynasty politics in the party, which led to switching over to BJP – fourth party in his political carrier. The saffron party quickly received Singh and fielded him in his desired Bhiwani Mahendragarh seat against Congress’s Sruthi Choudhry. The battle provided a victory for Dharambir, and it also marked with a record in his name, defeating three generations from Bansi Lal family. In 2019, he contested from the same seat and defeated Congress’s Shruthi Choudhry again with huge margin.

His political journey from Sarpanch to Parliament is filled with jumps to four political parties and defeating politicians who were strong in the state and outside by contesting in their strongholds.

(This article is part of a Timeline Internship Programme)