Haryana Cong MLAs attain Delhi from Raipur, to reach in Chandigarh hours earlier than RS polls Friday

By PTI

CHANDIGARH: Haryana Congress MLAs who had been lodged in a resort in Chattisgarh’s Raipur reached Delhi Thursday night and are anticipated to reach right here Friday morning to solid their votes within the Rajya Sabha elections, sources mentioned.

The ruling BJP-JJP MLAs remained lodged at a resort right here for the second day as each side braced for a eager contest on one of many two seats going to the polls.

#WATCH | Haryana Congress MLAs arrive in Delhi, from Raipur in Chhattisgarh, forward of the Rajya Sabha elections tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/MT4jNPiox8

— ANI (@ANI) June 9, 2022

In a late-evening growth, lone Indian National Lok Dal MLA Abhay Singh Chautala declared his assist to Kartikeya Sharma, who has entered the fray as an Independent candidate backed by the BJP-JJP mix and most Independents.

The BJP has fielded former minister Krishan Lal Panwar whereas Ajay Maken is the Congress nominee. The Congress had shifted its MLAs to Raipur every week in the past fearing poaching of its legislators.

Sources mentioned they left the resort there on Thursday night and reached Delhi. They are anticipated to succeed in Chandigarh within the morning. After reaching Chandigarh, they may have breakfast at Hooda’s residence right here and proceed from there to solid their votes, sources mentioned.

Speaking to reporters in Delhi, senior Congress chief Vivek Bansal, who’s the social gathering’s Haryana affairs incharge, exuded confidence that Ajay Maken will win comfortably.

Congress chief Deepender Singh Hooda additionally mentioned the social gathering candidate will win comfortably.

Senior social gathering chief Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who had been in Delhi for the previous few days, reached right here on Thursday night. It is learnt that each Hooda and social gathering chief Kuldeep Bishnoi reached right here in the identical flight from Delhi.

Earlier, Bishnoi, who’s the MLA from Adampur in Hisar, didn’t go to Raipur as he was reportedly upset with the social gathering for ignoring him within the current reshuffle in its state unit. He had lobbied for the put up of the state unit chief, which went to former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda loyalist Udai Bhan.

Another senior chief, Kiran Choudhary, too, didn’t go to Raipur reportedly as a consequence of well being causes. “We have got sufficient numbers and our candidate will win comfortably with 31 votes,” Hooda had advised PTI on Wednesday.

The BJP-JJP too had shifted their MLAs to a resort in Chandigarh. They are attending a “training session” in reference to the voting course of, Haryana BJP chief O P Dhankar had mentioned.

BJP’s senior leaders, together with Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Dhankar, too had joined them.

While the BJP with 40 MLAs has ample votes to win one seat, the competition has spiced up for the second seat with the entry of media baron Kartikeya Sharma. He can also be supported by most Independents and Gopal Kanda, lone MLA of the Haryana Lokhit Party. A candidate wants 31 votes to win the elections.

Indian National Lok Dal MLA Abhay Singh Chautala on Thursday declared his assist to Sharma after a gathering of his social gathering.

Replying to a query, Abhay Singh Chautala mentioned the media baron’s brother Manu Sharma, who had helped his father up to now, approached him for assist. Now, by supporting Kartikeya Sharma, he’s repaying the debt, he mentioned.

Chautala mentioned there is no such thing as a query of supporting the Congress, “which has looted the country”. “For me, there is also no question of voting for the BJP candidate as the party pursued anti-farmer policies,” he mentioned.

He mentioned if he abstains from voting, then it might imply benefitting the Congress candidate within the fray, which he can by no means do.

The INLD chief additionally lashed out at Bhupinder Singh Hooda, saying he can go to “any extent to serve his political interests”.

Independent MLA Balraj Kundu, who’s but to make his stand clear on whom he’ll assist, was on Thursday night approached by Sharma’s father and former Union minister Venod Sharma, who sought assist for his son.

Venod, who had additionally remained a minister within the erstwhile Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led authorities, had floated his personal outfit Jan Chetna Party. The media baron’s father-in-law Kuldeep Sharma is a senior Congress chief and a former speaker of the state Assembly.

On Thursday, Balraj Kundu advised reporters that he’ll reveal his technique on Friday.

Kundu took a dig on the BJP, saying its leaders used to take potshots on the Congress for lodging their legislators in a resort over fears of poaching however now they too have carried out the identical factor. “Why the BJP and the JJP are lodging their MLAs in a resort here. One thing is clear from this that both outfits don’t have faith in their MLAs and they fear cross-voting,” he mentioned.

Haryana Assembly Secretary and Returning Officer for the polls R Okay Nandal mentioned on Thursday the polling can be held from 9 am to 4 pm. The votes can be counted quickly thereafter.

The votes can be marked by a particular pen supplied by the Election Commission. Each MLA after casting his vote will hand over the pen to the officer deputed by the ballot physique, Nandal advised reporters.

Nandal mentioned that Haryana’s Chief Electoral Officer and one central observer, who’s Manipur’s Chief Electoral Officer, can be current to supervise the ballot course of.

In the 90-member Haryana Assembly, the BJP has 40 MLAs whereas the Congress has 31.

The JJP, which is an ally of the BJP, has 10 legislators whereas the Indian National Lok Dal and Haryana Lokhit Party have one every and 7 are independents.

Two Rajya Sabha seats from Haryana will fall vacant in August with the phrases of media baron Subhash Chandra and BJP chief Dushyant Gautam expiring.