Hisar, Haryana: Savitri Jindal, India’s richest woman and the mother of BJP’s Kurukshetra MP Naveen Jindal, has announced her candidacy for the Haryana Assembly elections. At 74 years old, Jindal filed her nomination from the Hisar constituency as an independent candidate on the last day of nominations.
Jindal, widow of the late industrialist O.P. Jindal, is challenging Haryana Minister and sitting MLA Kamal Gupta for the Hisar seat. Forbes India recently listed her as the wealthiest woman in the country, with a net worth of USD 29.1 billion.
Polling for Haryana’s 90 Assembly seats is scheduled for October 5, with results expected on October 8.
Following her nomination, Jindal stated, “I am committed to the development and transformation of Hisar. The people of Hisar are like family to me, and my late husband Om Prakash Jindal established this bond with the community.”
She emphasized her dedication to fulfilling the expectations of Hisar’s residents, noting the Jindal family’s longstanding service to the region.
When asked about her decision to contest against the BJP’s candidate, Jindal clarified, “My candidacy is not an act of rebellion. I have only campaigned for my son, Naveen Jindal, in the Lok Sabha elections. I have never been a member of the BJP.”
Savitri Jindal previously served as an MLA from Hisar, representing the constituency in 2005 and 2009 as a Congress member. She held a ministerial position in the Haryana government under Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda in 2013. Jindal left the Congress in March of this year, coinciding with her son Naveen’s departure from the party and subsequent switch to the BJP.