M A I N   N E W S

INLD releases first list
Close to a deal with BJP
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Jan 29 — The INLD today released its first list of 48 candidates for the coming Haryana Assembly elections amid indications that it was all set to conclude an understanding with the BJP on seat sharing in the state.

The BJP also arrived at a seat-sharing arrangement with the Biju Janata Dal in Orissa and like in Haryana, conceded a majority of 84 seats to its regional partner and agreed to contest on the remaining 63.

Union Minister for Information Technology Pramod Mahajan, who negotiated on behalf of the BJP with the INLD, told mediapersons after a Cabinet meeting here this morning that the INLD would contest two-third of the seats and the BJP one-third.

Party sources said it had almost been agreed that the INLD would contest 61 seats and the BJP 29.

The BJP spokesman, Mr M.Venkaiah Naidu, said the agreement with the INLD was nearing finalisation. On the INLD jumping the gun to release its first list, Mr Naidu said the BJP too would release its list at the appropriate time.

The BJP deputed Mr Mahajan to negotiate with the INLD chief, Mr Chautala, after the Haryana Chief Minister failed to reach an agreement with the BJP General Secretary, Mr Narendra Modi. While Mr Modi claimed that the INLD had given its word to the BJP to allow it to contest 35 seats before the Assembly was dissolved, Mr Chautala maintained his party was not prepared to give more than 20 to 21 seats to the BJP.

The BJP efforts to rope in Dr Murli Manohar Joshi also failed to yield dividends and it was finally decided that Mr Mahajan should talk to the Haryana partner. The agreement was apparently reached at a meeting between the BJP leader and Mr Chautala at the Haryana Bhavan here last night.

The BJP crossed another major hurdle in Orissa when it dropped its demand for 50 per cent of the 147 Assembly seats and agreed for sharing seats on the basis of the 1999 Lok Sabha elections.

Under the agreement, the BJD would contest all the Assembly seats in the 12 Lok Sabha constituencies it contested. Similarly, the BJP would contest the Assembly seats, under the Lok Sabha constituencies it contested. With each Lok Sabha having seven Assembly seats, the BJD would contest 84 seats and the BJP 63.

On the issue of projecting the next Chief Minister, Mr Naidu said they would cross the hurdle when they come to it.

In the first list released by the INLD for the Haryana Assembly elections today, the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala will contest, as in the previous elections, from Narwana and Rori.

A majority of 30 candidates have been renominated from their respective Assembly seats. The Dabwali (Reserved) seat has been given to Dr Sita Ram in place of his father Mr Mani Ram who contested the previous elections.

In Bahadurgarh, the INLD has given the ticket to its former candidate, Mr Nafe Singh’s wife, Mrs Shiela Devi.

Two candidates from the Haryana Vikas Party, who recently joined the INLD have also been accommodated in the first list. Mr Kartar Singh Bhadana would contest from Samalkha while Mr Jasbir Singh Mallor would contest from Naggal.

Following is the list of candidates:

Dabwali (SC) — Dr Sita Ram, Ellenabad (SC) —Mr Bhagi Ram, Rori — Mr Om Prakash Chautala, Darba Kalan — Mrs Vidya Beniwal, Bhattu Kalan — Mr Sampat Singh, Ratia (SC) —Mr Jarnail Singh, Tohana — Mr Nishan Singh Kamboj, Ghirai — Mr Puran Singh Dabra, Dadri — Mrs Shakuntala Sangwan, Tosham — Mr Sunil Lamba, Ateli — Mrs Santosh Yadav, Bawal (SC) — Mr M.L.Ranga, Jatusana — Mr Jagdish Yadav, Ferozepur Zhirka — Mohd Illyas, Nuh — Hamid Hussain, Pataudi (SC) — Mr Rambir Singh, Hathin — Mr Bhagwan Sahay Rawat, Rai — Mr Suraj Mal, Rohat — Mr Padam Singh Dahiya, Kailana — Mr Ved Singh Malik, Baroda (SC) — Mr Ramesh Khatak, Hasangarh — Mr Balwant Singh Mayna, Meham — Mr Balbir Singh Bali, Bahadurgarh — Mrs Shiela Devi, Badli — Mr Dhir Pal Singh, Beri — Dr Virender Pal, Narwana — Mr Om Prakash Chautala, Rajaund — Mr Ram Kumar Katwal, Julana — Mr Suraj Bhan Kajal, Kaithal — Mr Lila Ram Gujjar, Kalayat (SC) — Mr Dina Ram Balmiki, Pai — Mr Ram Pal Majra, Pehowa — Mr Jaswinder Singh, Thanesar — Mr Ashok Kumar Arora, Mulana (SC) — Mr Risal Singh, Sadhaura (SC) — Mr Balwant Singh, Radaur (SC) — Mr Banta Ram Balmiki, Nilokheri — Dharam Pal, Indri — Mr Bal Kishan Kamboj, Jundla (SC) — Mr Nafe Singh Balmiki, Gharaunda — Mr Ramesh Rana, Asandh (Sc) — Mr Kishan Panwar, Neoltha — Mr Satbir Singh Kadyan, Samalkha — Mr Kartar Singh Bhadana, Loharu — Mr Bahadur Singh (Retd. HCS), Hasanpur (Hodal) (SC) — Mr Jagdish Nayyar, Guhla (SC) — Mr Armar Singh and Naggal — Mr Jasbir Singh Mallor.