India’s richest woman Savitri Jindal to contest Haryana polls as independent candidate

Savitri Jindal, India’s richest woman and mother of BJP MP Naveen Jindal, has filed her nomination as an Independent candidate for the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections. Savitri Jindal Joins Haryana Polls at the age of 74, widow of industrialist O.P. Jindal, entering the race from the Hisar constituency. She will face sitting MLA and Haryana Minister Kamal Gupta in a highly anticipated contest.

Jindal, who Forbes India lists as the country’s wealthiest woman with a net worth of $29.1 billion, filed her nomination on the last day for submissions, signalling her intention to run independently. This decision comes after hopes for a BJP ticket did not materialize.

Polling for Haryana’s 90 Assembly seats is set for October 5, with results to be announced on October 8.

Speaking after filing her nomination, Jindal expressed her commitment to the people of Hisar, emphasizing her family’s longstanding bond with the region. “I have pledged to serve Hisar for its development and transformation. The people of Hisar are my family, and Om Prakash Jindal established my relationship with them,” she said, referring to her late husband.

Savitri Jindal has been elected as Hisar’s MLA twice, first as a Congress candidate in 2005 and then again in 2009. In 2013, she served as a minister in Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s government. However, she left the Congress earlier this year after her son Naveen Jindal left the party and later joined the BJP.

When asked if her candidacy against the BJP may be viewed as rebellious, Jindal responded that she had previously campaigned for her son and had never officially joined the party. Despite campaigning as an Independent, she emphasized her dedication to the people of Hisar and their progress.

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