Was ‘Firebrand Leader’ Shweta Dhull Collateral Damage in Haryana's Hooda vs Surjewala War?

Hailed by RaGa, Snubbed by Congress: Was ‘Firebrand Leader’ Shweta Dhull Collateral Damage in Hooda-Surjewala War?

Excerpt: After becoming a known face in Haryana for raising recruitment exam issues in the state, Dhull, who was invited by Rahul Gandhi to join a stretch during his Bharat Jodo Yatra, emerged the frontrunner for the Kalayat seat. However, the ticket was given to Hisar MP Jai Prakash’s son Vikas at the eleventh hour

The year was 2018 when a movie starring Hrithik Roshan touched the raw nerve of countless Indians. In ‘Super 30’, which talks about meritorious but disadvantaged students, Roshan says in a hard-hitting scene: “Ab Raja ka beta Raja nahi banega… Ab Raja wahi banega jo haqdar hoga” [the king’s son will no longer be the king; only the deserving will get the crown].

Six years down the lane, a young Congress leader — Shweta Dhull — almost proves such possibilities are only confined to a Bollywood movie and not the dog-eat-dog world of politics where favouritism and legacy rule the world. Rejected by the Congress despite being very popular locally, Dhull — who was invited by Rahul Gandhi to join him on his Bharat Jodo Yatra — has made peace with the fact that she won’t wear the crown after being denied a ticket from Kalayat seat in Haryana.

But who is Dhull? After becoming a known face in Haryana for raising recruitment exam issues in the state, Dhull was invited by Rahul Gandhi to join a stretch during his Yatra through Haryana. Impressed after their brief chat during the walk, Gandhi introduced her as a “firebrand leader”. It did not take long for her to join the Grand Old Party where she was increasingly seen in the Randeep Surjewala camp. Soon, she emerged as a frontrunner for the Kalayat seat. “Till just a few days ago, we were sure about her candidature,” said people close to the mother of two.

Dhull, too, was confident. “I was almost certain about getting a Congress ticket till September 9. My name was struck off in the last 15-20 minutes and the son of a sitting MP was made the candidate,” said Dhull. She added how it could have sent the right message if she was picked. “As an ordinary woman from a middle-class family, I wanted to set an example for others. I wanted to show people that even an ordinary woman like me can make space in politics and bring change. Had I been made the candidate, Congress would have sent a strong message to cadre, public at large, youth and women.”

At the eleventh hour, Dhull was denied a ticket and the Kalayat candidature was given to Hisar MP Jai Prakash’s son Vikas, prompting her to take to social media and question whether her middle-class lineage and absence of having a politician father cost her the ticket.

In a season of rebellions, where many Congress leaders have chosen to fight as Independents, Dhull has cleared the air that she will fight for her rights by staying in Congress. Late on Friday, she took to social media to say: “Didn’t learn to give up, it’s not an option. I was in Congress, and I am in Congress. I will fight the battle of the youth by staying here.”

So, what changed in the last 15-20 minutes as claimed by Dhull? People close to her claim her proximity to Surjewala — often seen as the rival camp of former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda — cost her the ticket.

A dejected Dhull may have said she will stay in Congress, but people close to her question the silence of Priyanka Gandhi over the sexist remarks of Jai Prakash — a sitting Congress MP and the father of the Kalayat seat candidate. In June this year, he triggered a controversy after he made remarks against Tosham MLA Kiran Chaudhary — now a BJP Rajya Sabha MP — saying “in our patriarchal society, women are not considered heirs”.

For now, Dhull, a post-graduate in biochemistry, is learning how ruthless politics can be, the hard way.