Haryana/Hisar: Balraj Sabharwal—a former ETO and former INLD candidate for Uklana—extended his congratulations to Reema Soni on her victory, speaking on behalf of the entire INLD party team. He stated that since Reema Soni won the election as an independent candidate, she should not join any political party. Ultimately, this decision rests upon the discretion of Reema Soni and Mr. Mahendra Soni; Mr. Soni will undoubtedly make the choice that is best for the people of Uklana and for Reema Soni's future.
In any case, following a victory, members of every political party tend to lay claim to the success. However, their involvement should be viewed merely as support—given that all parties had previously announced their unconditional backing. It should now be left entirely to the Soni family, their team, and their supporters to decide their next course of action. Given the immense trust that the people of Uklana have placed in the Soni family, it is hoped that they will strive to live up to that trust without succumbing to any external pressure.
Moreover, there were numerous factors and equations contributing to Reema Soni's victory. For instance, the BJP's internal surveys had identified Ashok Garg's daughter-in-law as a winning candidate; yet, the party denied her a ticket and instead allotted it to Shrinivas Goyal's daughter-in-law. This move placed Mr. Garg under pressure while simultaneously alienating the party's grassroots workers.
Other contributing factors included the Congress party's unconditional support, as well as the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) extending its unconditional backing at a critical juncture—specifically when rumors began circulating that the BJP intended to use coercive tactics to win the election. Amidst this tension, the announcement that Chaudhary Abhay Singh Chautala would personally be present during the vote counting served to "tighten the screws" on the administration, ensuring a fair process. Furthermore, the victory was influenced by Minister Krishan Bedi's boastful rhetoric, the strong opposition faced by former Minister Anoop Dhanak within the SC and DSC communities, and the incident involving BJP leader Asha Khedar—who, after having the microphone snatched away from her mid-speech, declared from the stage: "Do not do this, or else my community will be angered"—a prediction that, indeed, came true. For her community, this served as a signal—one that intensified their resentment regarding the treatment of their daughter, sister, and daughter-in-law, Asha Khedar. Consequently, the BJP suffered a defeat, a outcome driven largely by public anger over the working style of BJP leader Shri Niwas Goyal. Furthermore, the government's neglect of Ukalana village during the 12 years of BJP rule ignited the fury of the local residents, causing the entire village to unite unanimously against the party.
BJP workers in the Ukalana constituency were deeply disgruntled with Minister Anoop Dhanak, Shri Niwas Goyal, Krishna Bedi, and Chief Minister Nayab Saini. In an act of defiance, these disgruntled workers engaged in "cross-voting"—that is, instead of voting for the BJP, they cast their ballots for Reema Soni. As a result, Reema Soni emerged victorious—or secured a vote count far exceeding expectations—even in wards that were traditionally considered BJP strongholds. Intermediaries who had accepted money to buy votes were unable to do so, simply because the votes were not for sale. Thus, a rallying cry emerged: "Save the Daughter, Elect the Daughter."
All in all, it was the confluence of these various factors that paved the way for Reema Soni's victory. If anyone claims that this triumph belongs to a specific political party, they should disabuse themselves of that notion. After all, if a particular party truly possessed the strength to secure 74,000 votes and win, why did it fail to even field a candidate of its own? Had they done so, any such misconceptions would have been instantly dispelled. Alternatively, had Mr. Soni himself believed that victory was attainable through a specific party, he would have secured that party's ticket right from the start. Therefore, Reema Soni's decision to contest the election as an independent candidate was a highly calculated and well-considered move.
This strategy united all anti-BJP forces. Coupled with the tireless efforts of the entire Soni family and their workers—and aided by the auspicious "Rajyoga" (destiny for leadership) written in Reema Soni's fate—she achieved such a monumental milestone at such a young age, ultimately ascending to the coveted seat of Chairperson. Therefore, the credit for this victory goes neither to any single individual nor to any specific political party; rather, it belongs entirely to the people of the entire Uklana constituency and to all the supporting parties. Consequently, this victory represents a triumph not only for Reema Soni but also for the entire community—comprising all 36 *baradaris*—of Uklana.