Bhubaneswar: Top BJP leader and powerful Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has scripted a history in Indian politics by proving almost all Exit polls wrong through his organizational skills and political strategy that he used to ensure a thumping majority for the BJP in Haryana.
Shri Pradhan, a tall politician and also known as Ujjwala Man in India, is also one of the closest aides of the party’s chief strategist Amit Shah. The BJP leadership has picked him for the tough job to bring the party in power for the third time in the State, which shares a boundary with the national capital Delhi.
On October 5, hours after polling had ended in the state of Haryana, exit polls predicted a loss for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state. On October 8, as counting began, the early trends reflected the exit polls, favouring the Congress.
But around 10 am, the script flipped with the BJP started gaining numbers and by evening the picture was crystal clear: it had scored 48 seats in a 90-member House, its biggest tally, and romped to a historic third term.
After the unprecedented victory of the BJP, there has been one name that has gone under the radar — Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who was appointed election in charge of the State.
The Sambalpur MP’s commitment and proficiency in handling the election campaign were widely acknowledged by party members and leaders alike.
Barely three months after BJP dropped Manohar Lal Khattar and appointed Saini as Haryana CM in March, Pradhan took charge as party’s election in-charge in June. Pradhan, an OBC leader belonging to Chasa (farmer) caste, teamed up well with Saini, also an OBC leader, which helped the party secure backward class votes.
As soon as he was appointed the election in-charge for Haryana, Dharmendra Pradhan set up his camp in Rohtak, Kurukshetra, and Panchkula. Instead of holding large gatherings by helicopter, he travelled across the state by car, organising small meetings. He met workers to gather real-time feedback, informing the leadership and promptly addressing any issues, party sources said.
Recognising the importance of unity and strength in numbers, he made it a priority to reconcile with disaffected party members while also drawing in strong workers from other parties.
By identifying and bolstering weak booths and leveraging strong supporters from rival camps, Shri Pradhan was able to strengthen BJP’s foothold in traditionally challenging areas.
He worked from early morning to late into the night, crafting detailed strategies and conducting meetings with local heads. This hands-on approach allowed the leadership to address issues in real-time, adapt tactics, and keep the momentum going on a day-to-day basis.
Shri Pradhan kept an ear to the ground — listening to party workers and leaders and liaising on their behalf with the Central leadership. He enthused workers, demystified the Congress campaign and helped with the candidate selection.
His efforts paid off handsomely. The BJP has now won its third straight term in Haryana, emerging victorious in 48 of the state’s 90 assembly seats. The Congress has won 37 seats.