Haryana Assembly Elections: India's richest woman Savitri Jindal defies BJP, contests as an Independent in Hisar | Latest India News

Savitri took the step after the ruling BJP denied her candidature and fielded its minister Kamal Gupta from Hisar. “Hisar, that is my family, says that the election must be held. I have to comply with their wishes. I cannot say 'no'. To respect their feelings, I will definitely contest,” Savitri said, according to The Indian Express Report.

The former Congress MP took this step to pacify her supporters who were upset after the BJP denied her the seat. When asked if she had rebelled against her party, she claimed that she had never officially joined the BJP. Her son Naveen Jindal is currently a BJP MP from Kurukshetra Lok Sabha constituency. Naveen had left the Congress and joined the saffron party ahead of the 2024 general elections. Days later, Savitri followed her son and joined the party.

She claimed that she has not discussed her plans with her son and is only doing what the people of Hisar want her to do in her last election campaign. “I have been in public for 20 years to serve them. I should get only one chance to serve the public. Otherwise, this is also my last election. I want to complete unfinished works of the public of Hisar,” she said. The Indian Express.

The only woman on Forbes' list of the 10 richest Indians, Savitri entered politics after the death of her husband and Jindal founder OP Jindal. After winning a by-election in Hisar in 2005, she served as a minister for nine years under the Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Congress government, but lost the 2014 general election to incumbent minister of state and BJP candidate Kamal Gupta.

The billionaire claimed that she has not resigned from Congress and there are no talks with other parties. She also claimed to have a good relationship with Hooda and said, “He is my elder brother. When I entered politics, I was new. From the beginning, he taught me everything.”

Savitri has assets worth ₹270.66 crore in their nomination papers, a growth of over 200% from ₹113 crore were declared in the 2014 general elections.