Raj Kumar Saini

Raj Kumar Saini (born 1 July 1953) is an Indian politician. He was the MP of Kurukshetra, Haryana. In 2014 he became a member of 16th Lok Sabha by defeating 2 times MP from Indian National Congress Naveen Jindal.

Personal life
Rajkumar Saini was born on 1 July 1953 in Chhoti Rasur Village of Ambala district. Saini was born as the eldest son of a landless farmer. Despite economic hardships, he educated himself and ensured quality education for his younger siblings. Earlier, he took land on contract for farming; he entered into business of brick kilns, poultry farms and iron and steel industries in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jharkhand. From 1990 onwards, after he was elected Sarpanch of Chhoti Rasor village, he became engaged in active politics.

Political career
His political career started at a very young age. At the age of only 24, in 1977, he became the "Sarpanch" of his Gram Panchayat "Badi Rasor". He was elected 2 times for the same. Being on the post, he encouraged the education for all. In 1983, he became a member of the Panchayat Committee, Narayangar, Ambala, and discharged his responsibilities honestly. In 1994, he became a member of the District council, Ambala. By this time, his business had touched a great height. In 1996, he upgraded from district level politics to the next level at the state level and became a member of the Haryana assembly legislator.

From 1997 to 1999, he took charge of the State Minister (Printing Stationery and Transportation) in the Haryana Government. The Minister of State for Transport, Saini, launched a campaign to educate the drivers of trucks and buses, which the government highly appreciated. In 2000, he was made Minister of State, Sports and Transport. While playing the state minister, he campaigned for the promotion of state level players and made so many stadiums to encourage them. In May 2014, he was elected to 16th Lok Sabha from Kurukshetra, Haryana.

In September 2014, he was made a member of the Standing Committee on Industry and the Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Steel and Mining. He fought 2019 Haryana assembly elections from Gohana and lost to Jagbir Singh Malik. Many people believe he lost the election only because of his hatred speeches towards a particular community.

Projection as Chief Ministerial candidate
In 2017, Saini mobilised the non-Jat Other Backward Class in Haryana against the Jat reservation agitation. In a rally organised in Jind, he supported hundred percent reservation, with each caste getting the share in accordance with their population in the state. He also outlined a plan to control the population by promoting 'two children policy'. Saini also floated a political outfit called Lok Tantra Suraksha Manch, which was dedicated to social reformer Jyotiba Phule. In his bid to become the Chief Ministerial candidate for the 2019 Haryana State Assembly elections, Saini was supported by Union Minister and then Member of Parliament from Karakat Lok Sabha constituency, Upendra Kushwaha. In his address to a gathering in Haryana, Kushwaha described Saini as a mass leader, who was capable of leading the state.

Before this, in 2016, Saini organised his Samajik Samanta rally, on the occasion of the death anniversary of Jyotirao Phule at Kurukshetra. In this rally, where Upendra Kushwaha was also present as the chief guest, he criticised the dominance of Jats in state administration and police. He invoked the other communities of the state to unite to have their share in the administration and politics.