Chandigarh, June 25
Refusal of the apex court to grant any interim injunction against Haryana Assembly Speaker Satbir Singh Kadian’s order of disqualifying six legislators three days before the Rajya Sabha elections makes Mr Tarlochan Singh, Chairman, National Commission for Minorities, the gainer.
As of today, INLD nominee Ajay Singh Chautala and Independent Tarlochan Singh look
certain to make it to Rajya Sabha from Haryana on first-preference votes as the chances of Congress nominee, Kiran Choudhary have receded.
Mr Tarlochan Singh is supported by the INLD and the BJP, besides a few others. His immediate Congress opponent, Ms Kiran Choudhary, daughter-in-law of former Haryana Chief Minister and Haryana Vikas Party chief, Bansi Lal, has now to wait for the outcome of a legal battle.
Before the Haryana Speaker’s verdict came this morning, Mr Tarlochan Singh needed one more first-preference vote to make it to the Rajya Sabha.
Interestingly, Mr Tarlochan Singh, basically a public relations man, managed to get both the INLD and the BJP support him in the contest. The INLD and the BJP had fallen out even before Mr Om Prakash Chautala withdrew his support from outside to the NDA Government at the Centre before the Lok Sabha elections.
Belonging to Patiala in Punjab, Mr Tarlochan Singh had held several important positions in the Delhi Administration as well as at the Centre.
He remained Managing Director of the Delhi Tourism Corporation after his tenure in Rashtrapati Bhavan ended. Mr Tarlochan Singh was also Director, Media, during the 1982 Asian Games in Delhi.
He also remained Vice-Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities before his elevation as the Chairman of this constitutional body which gives him the status of a Minister of State at the Centre. Of the two seats for which polling will be held on June 28, Chief Minister Om Parkash Chautala’s son is certain of his victory. The fight for the second seat has been between Mr Tarlochan Singh and Ms Kiran Chaudhary. And Independent legislators hold the key.
Though the apex court refused to grant an interim injunction, it adjourned for two weeks hearing on the petitions fled by eight MLAs challenging the initiation of disqualification proceedings against them by the Speaker, Mr Satbir Singh Kadian. Now the legislators can file an amended petition as six of them stand disqualified.
As of now, six disqualified legislators will not be able to vote, thus tilting the balance in favour of Mr Tarlochan Singh, who, besides the INLD and the BJP, enjoys the support of the BSP and remaining Independents supporting the INLD in the Vidhan Sabha.
