Om Prakash Dhankar
Om Prakash Dhankar, popularly known as O. P. Dhankar served as Cabinet Minister in BJP-led Haryana Cabinet. He is a politician of Bhartiya Janata Party and won MLA election from Badli constituency of Haryana Vidhan Sabha in October 2014. However, he could not win the election from the same constituency in October 2019.
In Haryana Vidhan Sabha elections held on 5 October 2024, he again contested fromBadli constituency but was defeated by his Congress rival.
Early Life
O.P. Dhankar was born in Village Dhakla, Jhajjar district on April 18, 1961, in the family of Shri Vaid Mohabbat Singh and Smt Chhoto Devi. His grandfather Sh Raghuvir Singh worked as a Station Master for Indian Railways. The Philanthropic credentials of his family date back to his great grandfather who mobilized efforts to build the first school in his native village. Dhankhar received his elementary education from the village school before earning his Masters & M. Ed. from the Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak.
After his education, he served as a Geography Lecturer at Bhiwani for 11 years. As an academic, he published a book on analysis of education sector, with views on education reforms and issues concerning student lives.
Social Work
He worked for Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) from 1980 to 1996. He was part of various socio political movements and worked for youth affairs concerning systemic change in education sector. Later, he joined Swadeshi Jagaran Manch movement. To establish his credentials as a keen observer of life and dynamics of a civilized society, Dhankar delivered a rendition on Emotions Management.
Political career
He has held key positions such as State General Secretary, State President, National Secretary, and National President in various BJP & its affiliate organizations. After eighteen years of association with RSS, in 1996 he joined BJP and performed duties as a national secretary during Vajpayee era. He was Pradesh Prabhari for Himachal Pradesh and greatly contributed to BJP government formation in the hilly state.
He has held various padayatras and cycle yatras to agitate and protest against meager compensation and arbitrary land acquisition for Special Economic Zone (SEZ). BJP Kisan Morcha had been demanding for implementation of recommendation of MS Swaminathan Commission, whereby 50 per cent profit on input cost should be given to farmers. BJP had even promised in its election manifesto to implement Swaminathan Commission recommendation.
Om Prakash Dhankhar got elected as National President of BJP’s Kisan Morcha twice in a row. As national president of BJP’s Kisan Morcha, O P Dhankhar raised a range of issues namely Land Acquisition, Pesticide Management, Farmer’s Suicide, Farming Reforms. Swaminathan Report Implementation etc. O P Dhankhar played a key role in bringing about a Land Acquisition Handbook which addresses issues of farmers and industry alike by allowing enough opportunity for industrial growth.
In 2014, he contested from Rohtak Parliamentary constituency against Deepender Singh Hooda. O P Dhankhar finished second with 319436 votes (31%) and the Indian National Lok Dal candidate finished a poor third.
During Jhajjar Lok Sabha rally in April 2014, Shri Narender Modi reportedly called O P Dhankhar as his close confidant and dedicated political leader who has effortlessly worked for last 30 years.
He successfully contested as BJP’s candidate from Badali constituency (by garnering 36.48% of total polled votes) in the Haryana Legislative Assembly election, October 2014. Shri Om Prakash Dhankhar was a front runner claimant for the leadership position in the eventuality of BJP forming a government in Haryana in 2014 Assembly Elections. He led one of the legs of the four Vijay Sankalp Yatras organized by BJP for 2014 Haryana Assembly Elections.
During Haryana Vidhan Sabha elections in October 2019, he could not win from Badali constituency due to anti-incumbency factor in Haryana.
Timeline
- Haryana BJP General Secretary twice
- 2002-2004 BJP National Secretary
- BJP West UP Parbhari
- Dadri (Charkhi Dadri HR) Vidhan Sabha BJP Candidate 2009 - Lost
- BJP Himachal Pradesh Prabhari
- BJP Kisan Morcha President twice
- Rohtak Lok Sabha BJP Candidate 2014 - Lost
- Badli (Jhajjar HR) Vidhan Sabha BJP Candidate 2014 - Won
- Minister in Haryana 2014 - 2019 with 5 departments
- Badli (Jhajjar HR) Vidhan Sabha BJP Candidate 2019 - Lost
- Haryana BJP State President - 2020
- BJP National Secretary
- Delhi Lok Sabha Election Parbhari 2024
External Links
This page was authored by --Dndeswal (talk) 04:20, 25 September 2016 (EDT)
References
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