Bhati winner: A story of homecoming after defection

NEW DELHI: With the Congress party resurrecting itself with a comeback in the MCD bypolls, independent winner from

Bhati

ward, Rajender Singh Tanwar's homecoming is worth noting. Tanwar who had walked out due to infighting right before the polls started has been a Congress party worker for 40 years.

After the party refused to give him a ticket from Bhati, he contested as an independent. He had conducted a padyatra in Bhati and also organised a mahapanchayat to garner support for himself in the ward during campaign period.

Joginder Tanwar, 33, who had been fielded as the Congress candidate from Bhati is the son of Balram Tanwar who was the MLA of Chatarpur constituency in 2003 and 2008. Bhati is a part of the same constituency. Rajender Singh Tanwar, before the polls, had told TOI, “I have been a part of the party for 40 years and also hail from Asola Fatehpur Beri. Being a former MLA’s son cannot be the only criteria for candidature. I have been the Youth Congress’ president, and Congress block president too, have held various posts since 1976.”

Bhati ward has eight villages, one JJ cluster and two colonies. The Congress’ manifesto for Bhati had promised to stop blackmailing that is rampant during construction works in the area, build a primary school in Kharak-Sivada village, set up a primary health centre at Sathbadi and Chandan Hula villages, revive construction work of primary health centre at Asola-Fatehpur Beri village, stop monkey menace in the area, and construct a barat ghar at Asola Fatehpur Beri village.

“It is important to note that former MLA Balram Tanwar was the vice-chairman of the rural development board between 2008 and 2013. This ward has a high concentration of villages. Construction of Fatehpur Beri’s dispensary has been stalled for a while now. When he couldn’t get these works done in so many years, how can his son get it done in eight months as a councillor?” Rajender had questioned.

Rajender’s defection from the Congress party is not indicative of nepotism or dynastic politics, a Congress party member had claimed, and went on to give examples of how AAP had fielded MLA Imran Hussain’s brother-in-law Mohammad Sadiq as Ballimaran candidate, and fielded MLA Sahiram Pehelwan’s nephew Abhishek Bidhuri as Tekhand’s candidate.

Now with Rajender's victory as an independent, political equations have changed and foes are back to being friends.
Sources in the Congress party said the AICC secretary had himself called Rajender to join the Congress party again.

Congress state unit president Ajay Maken in a press conference on Tuesday welcomed Rajender and said that he had always been and will always be a part of the Congress. He however refused to answer questions on why Rajender wasn't given a ticket. Tanwar stood beside him and beamed.