M A I N   N E W S

BJP releases lists for Haryana, Jharkand
Ex-CM Marandi not fielded
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 9
Even as the Bharatiya Janata Party today announced its list of candidates for Haryana and Jharkhand Assembly elections, talks on seat-sharing arrangement with Janata Dal (U) for Bihar remained inconclusive as the BJP failed to declare its first list for the “troubled” state.

“The final shape is being given to the seat-sharing formula. It will be firmed up either by tonight or tomorrow. The Central Election Committee will meet again on January 11 to finalise the list of our candidates”, BJP General Secretary Shivraj Singh Chauhan told newspersons here after releasing a list of 36 candidates for Haryana and 15 for Jharkhand.

For Haryana, with today’s announcement of 36 candidates, the party’s total number for that state has gone up to 75.

Sources said while the BJP was staking claim to 120 out of the total 243 seats in the state, the JD (U) wanted to contest 140 and was willing to give only up to 105 seats. Asked about the areas of difference between the two parties, he said, “We are discussing on how many and which seats each party would contest”.

Mr Chauhan also denied that the decision has been kept in abeyance due to the efforts being made by JD (U) leader Nitish Kumar to woo the Lok Janshakti Party headed by Union Steel Minister Ram Vilas Paswan.

Announcing the remaining 15 candidates for Jharkhand after conceding 17 seats to the JD (U), Mr Chauhan said the party had decided not to field former state Chief Minister Babulal Marandi. The BJP is now contesting 63 out of 81 seats.

The BJP would release its manifesto simultaneously from six places tomorrow.

The BJP, which has decided to contest the poll in the state on its own, in its manifesto will highlight the state government’s failure to provide a good administration and “backstabbing” of the interests of the state by the Congress on the Sutlej Yamuna Link canal issue, a party statement said.

The party would highlight the “injustice caused by the adamant attitude of the Congress government in Punjab which had annulled the SYL canal agreement, jeopardising the interests of the downstream states.”

It will also highlight five years of “corrupt family rule of the INLD in the state and the failure of the Congress-led Central government to provide respite to both the farmers and consumers hit by soaring prices,” said the statement.

Mr Chauhan and former Union Minister of State for Home I D Swamy would be present at the manifesto release function at Chandigarh while the BJP Haryana unit president Ganeshi Lal would be releasing the manifesto at Hisar, the statement added.

Various important leaders of the party will be releasing the manifesto in other important towns of the state like Panipat, Rohtak, Rewari and Faridabad.

The following list is for Haryana: Mr Data Ram (Sadaura), Mr Arun Kumar (Mulana-ST), Mr Pavitra Singh (Nangal), Mr Mahendra Jindal (Indari), Mr Bakshish Singh (Nilo Khedi), Mr Ramesh Kashyap (Gharonda), Mr Rajendra Gagsina (Asandh-ST), Mr Sachdev Tyagi (Samalka), Mr Balwan Sharma (Nyoltha), Mr Atmprakash Manchanda (Shahbad), Mr Kishan Bedi (Radhaur-ST), Mr Shamsher Singh Kajal (Guhla-ST), Mr Ravi Bhushan Garg (Kaithal), Randhir Golan (Pundari), Mr Raj Singh Hudda (Kiloi), Mrs Sarita Narayan (Kalanaur-ST), Mr Laxman Singh Yadav (Sahlavas), Mr Lalit Sharma (Badli), Mr Rajendra Singh Dalal (Bahadurgarh), Sait Pal Gujjar (Kaulana), Mr Lalit Batra (Sonipat), Mr Rajpal Aatil (Rai), Mr Jaswant Pathania (Kalayat-ST), Mrs Pooja Sharma (Rajond), Mr Vijaypal Singh (Safido), Mr Sanjay Dagar (Palwal), Mr Bhaniram (Firozpur Jhirka), Mr Sanjay Singh (Tawdu), Mr Tulsiram (Pataudi-St), Mr Vijay Shekhawat (Loharu), Mr Col Sahi Ram (Ghirai), Mr Rajvir Gaudara (Dadba Kalan), Dr Srinivas (Sirsa), Mrs Renu Sharma (Raudi), Mr Jagtar Singh (Dabwali-ST) and Mr Privi Singh (Narnaul).

Poll notifications in Haryana, Bihar today

New Delhi, January 9
The formal process for a crucial round of Assembly elections next month in Haryana, Bihar and Jharkhand will be set in motion tomorrow with the issue of notifications marking the beginning of the filing of nominations.

The Governors of these states will issue the notifications in the gazette.

It will be a one-day poll on February 3 in Haryana for the election to the 90-member Assembly.

In sensitive Bihar and Jharkhand, the elections will be held in three phases on February 3, 15 and 23. Tomorrow’s notifications in Bihar and Jharkhand will cover the constituencies that will go to the polls in the first phase.

For the first phase of polling, the last date to file nominations is January 17 and the scrutiny will take place the next day. The last date for withdrawal of candidatures is January 20 and counting of votes in all states will be taken up on February 27.

The terms of the Bihar and Jharkhand Assemblies are scheduled to expire on March 6 and in Haryana on March 8. This will be the first Assembly election in Jharkhand which became a state in 2000.

The election notifications for the second and third phases of polling in Bihar and Jharkhand will be issued on January 20 and 29.

Meanwhile, the full Election Commission will visit Bihar and Jharkhand next week to review the poll arrangements. — PTI