Sushil Kumar Gupta is the Aam Aadmi Party’s only candidate in Haryana, where the party has not been able to make inroads so far. The businessman-politician and former AAP Rajya Sabha MP, who was with the Congress before joining the AAP, is in the fray against INLD stalwart Abhay Chautala and the BJP’s Naveen Jindal from Kurukshetra.      

The constituency, which is expected to see a three-cornered fight, was won by the BJP’s Naib Singh Saini in the 2019 polls. Saini was recently elevated to the post of Chief Minister and the BJP’s Kurukshetra ticket was given to Jindal, a prominent businessman and Congress turncoat. 

In conversation with Newslaundry, Gupta spoke about the Kurukshetra contest, INDIA bloc’s strength in Haryana, women voters, farmers and the Narendra Modi government.   

“The competition is fierce in cities but the atmosphere in villages is one-sided” in favour of the INDIA bloc, said Gupta, adding that the Modi government’s stance on farmers’ issues and the wrestlers’ protests are some of the biggest poll issues in the state which is set to vote on May 25.  

He also spoke about the controversies surrounding the AAP, including Raghav Chaddha’s disappearance, Swati Maliwal’s physical assault allegations, and the AAP-Congress alliance. 

Watch.