The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday declared Krishan Lal Panwar, former transport minister and a Dalit leader, as its candidate from Haryana for the June 10 Rajya Sabha elections.
The last date for filing nominations is May 31 while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is June 3. The 90-members of the Haryana assembly will be the electors and counting of votes will be held on June 10 when the biennial election will be held for two seats in Haryana.
The 64- year-old, who is a matriculate, had unsuccessfully contested the October 2014 assembly elections as a BJP nominee.
Panwar, a five-time MLA, represented Israna (reserve) constituency (2014-2019) in Panipat district after he left the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and won on a BJP ticket in the 2014 assembly elections.
Known as a party hopper, he represented the Assandh assembly in 1991, 1996 and 2000, and Israna segment in 2009 and 2014. Once he had joined the Samata Party and went on to become an MLA from Assandh.
After creation of Israna constituency (reserved), he again won on INLD ticket in 2009. However, in 2014, when INLD denied him ticket, he joined the BJP and won. The BJP had rewarded him with the cabinet berth.
{{/usCountry}}After creation of Israna constituency (reserved), he again won on INLD ticket in 2009. However, in 2014, when INLD denied him ticket, he joined the BJP and won. The BJP had rewarded him with the cabinet berth.
{{/usCountry}}Two of the five Upper House seats in Haryana will fall vacant on August 1 when the term of media baron Subhash Chandra and Delhi-based BJP leader Dushyant Gautam will end.
In view of the strength of political parties in the state assembly, the BJP (40 MLAs) is set to win at least one seat, while the other seat is likely to be picked by the Congress which has 32 MLAs in the House.
Cong fields Ajay Maken from Haryana
Congress has fielded senior leader Ajay Maken from Haryana for Rajya Sabha.
Maken was the youngest person to become the speaker of a state legislative assembly in 2003-04, when he assumed the role in Delhi. He has served two Lok Sabha terms as an MP from 2004-2010, and three terms as an MLA between 1993 to 2004.
In 2004, when the UPA government assumed office in Centre, he was the Union minister for urban affairs and sports. He also held the position of minister of state for home affairs and minister of state for urban development.
In the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Maken had contested from the New Delhi constituency and lost to BJP’s Meenakshi Lekhi.
Meanwhile, the party has also fielded chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala from Rajasthan.