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Baroda bypoll: Independent Kapoor Narwal refuses to withdraw nomination, support Congress nominee
The residents of Congress nominee Indu Raj’s native village Rindhana visited Kathura to request Kapoor Singh Narwal to withdraw his nomination. However, villagers of Kathura turned down the plea and stated that they will support Kapoor.
Independent candidate Kapoor Singh Narwal on Saturday refused to withdraw his nomination and support Congress candidate Indu Raj Narwal in the Baroda bypoll to be held on November 3, during a panchayat held at his native village Kathura.
The residents of Congress nominee Indu Raj’s native village Rindhana visited Kathura to request Kapoor Singh Narwal to withdraw his nomination. However, villagers of Kathura turned down the plea and stated that they will support Kapoor.
Talking to HT, Kapoor Singh Narwal, said the Congress and the BJP had back stabbed him and planned to ‘destroy his political career’ by denying him a ticket at the last moment during the 2019 assembly polls. “The BJP leaders had assured me of giving the party’s ticket in the 2019 assembly polls but they pitted newcomer Yogeshwar Dutt at the last minute,” he said.
“Now, former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his son Deepender had called me to Delhi for the Congress ticket but failed to fulfill their commitment. The Congress leaders were promising me a ticket till October 15 but the grand old party had officially given ticket to Indu Raj on October 14 and made the announcement the next day. The letter signed by state Congress chief Kumari Selja on October 14 mentioned Indu Raj as its candidate. The Congressmen were making a fool out of me till October 15 by assuring me to consider my candidature,” Narwal said.
He said he had failed to understand ‘the dirty politics’ of the Congress and the opposition party to stop him from filing the nomination papers. “The residents of my village have unanimously decided to support me. I will not withdraw my nomination. We assured Indu’s villagers to help him in future but this time we will fight,” he added.
Meanwhile, the residents of Ridhana village said Kapoor Narwal’s entry in the fray will reduce the votes of Congress candidate Indu Raj Narwal. “We requested Kathura villagers to convince Kapoor to step down and support Indu Raj but our plea was rejected by a few people. Our village had voted for Kapoor twice. Now, the residents of Kathura should support our candidate,” they added.
BJP’s Yogeshwar Dutt, former Sonepat zila parishad member Indu Raj Narwal of the Congress, Joginder Singh Malik of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and Kapoor Singh Narwal are in the fray for the Baroda bypolls.
