Lobbying intensifies for lone RS seat from Haryana

With the Election Commission of India (ECI) announcing the schedule for the Rajya Sabha elections, intense lobbying has started for the one Rajya Sabha seat in Haryana. Though the ruling BJP, which is set to retain the seat due to its numerical strength, is yet to zero in on its candidate, names of BJP bigwigs are doing the rounds.

Names of state BJP chief Mohan Lal Badoli, former Karnal MP Sanjay Bhatia, former Sirsa MP Sunita Duggal, former BJP chief OP Dhankar, former state minister Capt Abhimanyu and former MP Kuldeep Bishnoi are reportedly under consideration for the seat. The seat has fallen vacant after the resignation of Krishan Lal Panwar on October 14. Panwar, who was elected as an MLA from Israna (Panipat) in the recent Assembly polls, was later elevated as the minister in the Nayab Singh Saini government.

Caste, RSS link matter

The BJP is likely to keep caste combinations in mind while selecting the candidate for the Rajya Sabha elections. Meanwhile, the RSS connections of the aspirants would play a crucial role in the final selection of the candidate.

Sources said the saffron party was keeping caste combinations in mind while selecting the candidate. “Meanwhile, the RSS connections of the prospective candidate would play a crucial role in the final selection of the candidate,” a senior BJP functionary told The Tribune.

Badoli, a Brahmin, who led the BJP to the unprecedented third term in Haryana, is considered to be a strong contender for the seat. Badoli, who did not contest from his traditional Rai (Sonepat) Assembly segment to devote himself full-time for the party work in the run-up to the Assembly polls, could be rewarded for his role in pulling off a virtually-impossible third term for the BJP.

Similarly, Bhatia, who comes from the influential Punjabi community, made way for former CM Manohar Lal Khattar to fight the Lok Sabha election from Karnal. An organisation man, Bhatia is considered to be pioneer of the much-acclaimed “panna pramukh” concept.

Duggal is a prominent Dalit face of the party and one view in the party is that the seat should again go the SC community. Panwar, the previous RS member, also belongs to the Dalit community.

Meanwhile, both Dhankar and Capt Abhimanyu are Jat stalwarts in the saffron party and wield considerable influence in the party high command. Though both had lost the recent Assembly polls, the party may want to ‘rehabilitate’ one of them to send the right signal to the influential Jat community.

Former MP Bishnoi, the non-Jat face of the party, is also among those whose names are doing rounds in the party circles.

According to the ECI notification, nominations can be filed from December 3 till10 while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is December 13.Though December 20 is election date, the election result is likely to be declared on December 13 as the Opposition may not field their candidate due to ‘inadequate numbers’.

In the 90-member House, the BJP has 48 MLAs with three Independents legislators extending support to it. The Opposition Congress has 37 MLAs while the INLD has two MLAs. The saffron party needs 46 votes to win the seat in case of polling for the lone seat.