Savitri Jindal, India’s richest woman according to Forbes with a net worth of USD 29.1 billion, has officially entered the political race for the Haryana Assembly election. Filing her nomination as an Independent candidate from Hisar, Jindal, the wife of late industrialist O.P. Jindal and mother of Kurukshetra BJP MP Naveen Jindal, is contesting against Haryana Minister and sitting MLA Kamal Gupta. Her entry into the fray is seen as a significant development given her family’s deep ties to Hisar and the legacy of public service established by her late husband.
In her remarks after filing her nomination, Jindal pledged her commitment to Hisar’s development and its people, stating that Hisar is like family to her, a bond created by her late husband. This is not her first foray into politics; she has previously served as an MLA for Hisar twice, first elected in 2005 as a Congress candidate, and was re-elected in 2009 before becoming a minister in 2013.
The Haryana Assembly elections are shaping up to be a high-stakes battle. Several key political figures, including Congress leader Randeep Surjewala’s son Aditya Surjewala, INLD leader Abhay Chautala, and BJP minister Mahipal Dhanda, have also filed their nominations. The elections for all 90 assembly seats will be held on October 5, with the results being declared on October 8.
The ruling BJP is aiming for a third consecutive term but faces strong competition from Congress, which seeks to leverage the growing anti-incumbency sentiment in the state.
