Haryana assembly polls: BJP 2nd list out, drops 2 ministers, 5 MLAs; fields 11 new faces

Haryana has total 90-assembly constituencies and the ruling BJP has now declared 87 candidates; the BJP is yet to field its nominees in Faridabad-NIT, Mahendergarh and Sirsa segments

Despite a wide-spread rebellion by a section of senior leaders and some joining Congress after being denied tickets, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday dropped seven legislators, including two ministers, and introduced 11 fresh candidates in its second list of 21 candidates for October 5 Haryana assembly elections.

The party’s second list, released before the September 12 deadline for filing nominations, is replete with its gambit of social engineering, shuffling of candidates and fielding fresh faces while denying tickets to incumbent legislators, a move aimed at bucking the anti-incumbency of its 10-year rule in Haryana. (HT File)

Haryana has total 90-assembly constituencies and the ruling BJP has now declared 87 candidates. The party is yet to field its nominees in Faridabad-NIT, Mahendergarh and Sirsa segments. The suspense over Mahendergarh seat has set alarm bells ringing in the camp of senior BJP leader Ram Bilas Sharma, a former state BJP chief and former education minister, who is a front runner from this seat. The BJP is unlikely to contest in Sirsa assembly segment as this seat is being represented by its ally and sitting MLA Gopal Kanda of the Haryana Lokhit Party (HLP).

The first list of 67 candidates, which was released on September 4, had triggered dissent and prompted 12 senior BJP leaders, including a cabinet minister, to tender their resignation last week. The BJP scrambled to contain the unrest and convince the rebels to stand down.

The party’s second list, released before the September 12 deadline for filing nominations, is replete with its gambit of social engineering, shuffling of candidates and fielding fresh faces while denying tickets to incumbent legislators, a move aimed at bucking the anti-incumbency of its 10-year rule in Haryana.

The BJP’s battle lineup has Satpal Jamba from Pundri segment, who is known for having an alleged shady background as he was booked in immigration frauds.

“We have fielded honest leaders with clean image. On the other hand, Congress has given tickets to those who are facing criminal cases and preparing to go to jail...,” BJP chief Mohan Lal Badoli said in Kurukshetra, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the election campaign of the party from Kurukshetra on September 14.

Of the 21 candidates declared, four are from backward classes (BC), three are from the Jat community, two are Brahmin, six are from both Punjabi as well as Rajput backgrounds, while scheduled castes (SC) are four and two Muslims, a senior BJP leader said.

With the rebellion brewing within the Pehowa segment, the BJP replaced Kamaljeet Singh Ajrana, who was earlier given ticket, and nominated Jai Bhagwan Sharma. Ajrana backed out of the contest, citing lack of support from the Pehowa unit. The Pehowa segment was represented by former sports minister Sandeep Singh, who is an accused in a sexual harassment case.

In another surprise, the BJP brought back Sohna MLA and minister of state for sports Sanjay Singh to the Nuh segment. Earlier, Singh’s name was missing as the BJP nominated Tejpal Tanwar from Sohna. People familiar with the matter said Singh has been sent to Nuh as he had earlier contested the assembly election from this Muslim majority seat.

BJP retained Om Prakash Yadav (Narnaul), who was minister in second term of the BJP government led by then CM Manohar Lal Khattar. Yadav is a confidante of Union minister Rao Inderjit Singh.

Among the seven MLAs dropped are Dr Banwari Lal (Bawal SC), who was cabinet minister; minister of state for education Seema Trikha ( Badkhal); Jagdish Nayar (Hodal-SC); Praveen Dagar (Hathin); Satya Prakash (Pataudi -SC); Nirmal Rani (Ganaur); and BJP chief Mohan Lal Badoli, who had already announced that he will not contest.

As per the list, fresh face Dhanesh Adlakha replaces education minister Seema Trikha in Badkhal and Dr Krishna Kumar (Bawal-SC), also a fresh face, will contest in place of cabinet minister Dr Banwari Lal.

Pawan Saini will contest from Naraingarh; Yogender Rana (Assandh); Devender Kaushik (Ganaur); while Krishna Gahlawat has been fielded from Rai in place of the state BJP chief.

Capt Yogesh Bairagi to take on Vinesh Phogat

A fresh face Pradeep Sangwan (son of ex-INLD MP) is BJP’s pick from Baroda, while Captain Yogesh Vairagi will test the political waters in Julana against Congress’ nominee Vinesh Phogat. Baldev Singh Mangiana, who hails from Jat community will contest from Dabwali and BJP’s old war horse Amir Chand Mehta will try his luck in Ellanabad.

Ex-MLA Bimla Chaudhary (Pataudi-SC); Naseem Ahmed ( Ferozepur Jhirka); and Aizaz Khan (Punahana); Manoj Rawat (Hathin); Harinder Singh Ramrattan (Hodal-SC) are other candidates.

Two former ministers Manish Grover and Krishan Kumar Bedi, who had unsuccessfully contested 2019 assembly elections have been fielded from Rohtak and Narwana (SC) segments, respectively.

With the entry of two more women candidates, Bimla Chaudhry from (Pataudi- SC) and Krishna Gahlawat (Rai), the BJP has nominated 10 women nominees. Both Chaudhry and Gahlawat had contested the 2014 assembly elections, party sources said.

Tuesday’s list of the BJP has 11 fresh faces contesting for the first time and seven candidates are among those who were unsuccessful either in 2014 or 2019 assembly elections.

In the current assembly, BJP has 41 MLAs of which the party has nominated 26 legislators to seek re-election and 15 MLAs have been dropped.

Similarly, of the total 87 candidates declared, 31 candidates are fresh faces. The BJP’s first list of 67 candidates had 24 sitting MLAs, 20 fresh faces, 11 ex-BJP MLAs, nine turncoats (three MLAs of JJP including), two former Lok Sabha MPs of the BJP and one sitting Rajya Sabha MP.