OP Dhankar

Former BJP President of Haryana unit, OP Dhankar, is a key Jat leader in the state and has previously served as a former minister in the Manohar Lal Khattar government. The 63-year-old leader will contest the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections from Badli seat.

After 2014 victory, Dhankar lost his Badli Assembly seat to Congress rival Kuldeep Vats in the 2019 elections. Ahead of this year polls, he was replaced as the BJP Haryana president by Nayab Singh Saini, who is now the chief minister of Haryana. Dhankar's role is central to BJP's politics in Haryana as the Jat community makes up about 23% of Haryana population. The saffron party has traditionally had a weak link with the community.

Political career:

Dhankar, who started his career as a teacher, has been associated with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the BJP's ideological parent, since 1978. He has also worked for the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the BJP's student wing, for 16 years from 1980 -1966. He was elected as the president of BJP Kisan Morcha twice consecutively in 2011-2013 and 2013-2015. After being replaced by Saini, Dhankar was appointed the party’s national secretary.

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