Gautam should respect people’s mandate: Capt Abhimanyu

Former Haryana finance minister Captain Abhimanyu on Thursday dismissed speculations on prospects of him contesting a bypoll from Narnaund assembly constituency in case Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) MLA Ram Kumar Gautam puts in his papers. Capt Abhimanyu had lost the 2019 assembly poll from Narnaund by around 12,000 votes to Gautam, a Brahmin leader.

“I have been hearing such conjectures but I do not agree with them. Let’s respect the mandate of the people of Narnaund. They have given a five-year mandate to Gautamji. And he should respect it,’’ Capt Abhimanyu said.

Gautam was considered a given choice for a ministerial berth from JJP but he was denied one. He later resigned as JJP’s national vice-president and criticised Dushyant Chautala. He was last seen in a video clip making cutting remarks on Dushyant’s ‘hunger for power’ since the deputy chief minister alone had usurped 10 ministerial portfolios.

The former minister admitted was possible that the JJP candidates in adjoining assembly constituencies had benefited because of Gautam’s presence in Narnaund. “I don’t know whether his presence actually translated into votes for other JJP candidates but knowing Gautam well, I can assume it could have happened. He is a former BJP leader and has his own political network,’’ Capt Abhimanyu said.

On his chances of being nominated to the Rajya Sabha, the former minister said that it was for the BJP high command to decide. “I am not keen for an Upper House nomination. However,it is up to the party to decide whom to nominate,’’ he said.