BJP may rest one-third of MLAs, some top ministers
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 30
The ruling BJP is likely to rest a third of its sitting MLAs in Haryana, including some ministers, with the leadership keen on fielding prominent sportspersons for the October 1 election besides expanding representation for youth and women in its candidate list.
Badoli to focus on campaign
- State party chief Mohan Lal Badoli to focus on poll campaign
- Assembly Speaker Gian Chand Gupta could be rested; ministers Kanwar Pal, Kamal Gupta, Mahipal Dhanda and Aseem Goel likely to be re-nominated
- Former state party chiefs Ram Bilas Sharma, OP Dhankar likely to contest; sportspersons Deepak Hooda, Sweety Hooda, Yogeshwar Dutt, Vijender Singh on list of probables
BJP’s senior Central leaders and state core committee members met for the second consecutive day today and are said to have finalised candidates for 65 of 90 seats. The meeting was held at the residence of party’s poll in-charge for Haryana Dharmendra Pradhan and attended by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, state party chief Mohan Lal Badoli, state BJP in-charge Satish Poonia and other top Haryana brass.
On Thursday, the party’s Central Election Committee meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had approved 55 candidates and broadly discussed the remaining, authorising Haryana BJP election in-charges and state core committee to finalise the rest.
The Tribune has learnt that the party wants Rai MLA and state unit chief Mohan Lal Badoli to focus on poll campaigning and may not field him.
Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini will contest from Ladwa and former minister Anil Vij from Ambala Cantonment, as reported by The Tribune. BJP sources said there was no alternative to Vij in Ambala Cantonment. Around 12 sitting MLAs could lose tickets, including some ministers. “Half a dozen ministers are in the red zone,” said a BJP leader.
Asked which ministers were in the safe zone as of today, sources pointed to Kanwar Pal, Aseem Goel, Kamal Gupta and Mahipal Dhanda.
Haryana Assembly Speaker Gian Chand Gupta, Panchkula MLA, could also be rested. Interestingly, a tug of war is underway for the Rohtak nomination with former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s confidante Manish Grover (who had won the seat in 2014) seeking the ticket but facing resistance from within.
A source said the Rohtak panel features names of seer Kapil Puri Maharaj, Mayor Manmohan Goel and local doctor Aditya Batra.
The Tribune has further learnt that the BJP is keen to field former party state chiefs Ram Bilas Sharma and OP Dhankar and will also nominate some prominent sports personalities with the names of wrestlers Deepak Hooda, his wife and international boxer Sweety Boora, wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt and boxer Vijender Singh among probables.
Deepak Hooda is seeking a ticket from Meham and Yogeshwar from Gohana (where ex-MP Arvind Sharma is also a hopeful). Union Minister Rao Inderjit’s daughter is likely to be the BJP nominee from Ateli and Adampur MLA Bhavya Bishnoi (Kuldeep Bishnoi’s son) will defend his seat.
Sitting Rajya Sabha MP Krishan Pal Panwar is learnt to be interested in fighting from Israna reserved seat and from Gurgaon, Mukesh Sharma is among frontrunners. The party may unveil one list soon and may wait for the Congress to finalise its candidates before declaring the rest. The Congress Central poll panel on Haryana is likely to meet on September 2.
