Kurukshetra to decide fate of 43 nominees in four segments today

The fate of 43 candidates contesting from the four assembly segments of Kurukshetra district will be locked on Saturday. The BJP and Congress candidates are locked in a direct contest in all four — Ladwa, Thanesar, Pehowa and Shahabad — Assembly segments.

With 16 candidates in fray, the Ladwa Assembly segment is one of the hot seats in this election. Chief Minister and BJP candidate Nayab Singh Saini is locked in a contest with Congress candidate Mewa Singh, who had won this segment in the 2019 Assembly election. INLD candidate Sapna Barshami is also confident of giving a tough competition to Nayab Saini and Mewa Singh.

The Thanesar Assembly segment, with nine candidates in fray, is witnessing a close battle between BJP candidate Subahsh Sudha, who had won this seat in 2014 and 2019, and Congress candidate Ashok Arora. Both the leaders had an aggressive campaigning. Though Subhash Sudha is facing anti-incumbency, he is hopeful of retaining his seat on the basis of the work done. Meanwhile, riding high on the public sentiments Ashok Arora is confident of regaining his lost ground. BJP rebel and AAP’s Krishan Bajaj, BSP’s Tanuja and, Congress rebel and JJP’s Surya Partap Singh Rathore are also in the poll fray.

Similarly, in Shahabad, Congress candidate Ram Karan Kala and BJP’s Subhash Kalsana are locked in a tough competition. After initial resentment within the party, the BJP candidate’s campaign gained pace, while Ram Karan Kala also managed to pacify the Congress workers who were not happy with his candidature. There are nine candidates in fray in Shahabad.

The Pehowa segment, where nine candidates will test their luck, is also witnessing an interesting battle between BJP’s Jai Bhagwan Sharma (DD), and Congress candidate Mandeep Chatha, who are struggling to taste their first victories. Both the candidates have lost their previous elections. Farmer leader and Sanyukt Sangharsh Party’s Gurnam Singh Charuni is among the other candidates who are trying their fates.

In Kurukshetra, over 7.73 lakh people (including 3.72 lakh females) are eligible to cast their votes in the district.

While the Thanesar constituency has the maximum voters (2.18 lakh), followed by Ladwa (1.96), Pehowa (1.86 lakh) and Shahabad (1.71 lakh). Kurukshetra Deputy Commissioner Rajesh Jogpal said, “All the preparations have been made to conductfree and fair elections.”