The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday (September 10, 2024) released the second list of 21 candidates for the Haryana Assembly polls, dropping six sitting MLAs, including two ministers. Party’s Pehowa candidate, Sardar Kamaljeet Singh Ajrana, was replaced after he expressed inability to contest the poll on a party ticket citing opposition from local leaders.
The party has so far declared candidates for 87 of the 90 Assembly constituencies in the State.
Two Muslim leaders, Naseem Ahmed and Aizaz Khan, have been fielded from Ferozepur Jhirka and Punhana respectively. Minister of State for Environment Sanjay Singh, who is the sitting MLA from Sohna, has been named for Nuh.
The BJP has dropped Bawal MLA Banwari Lal and Badkhal MLA Seema Trikha, both ministers, from the list. The others dropped include the MLAs of Pataudi, Hodal, Ganaur and Hatin.
The party has fielded former Minister Krishna Gahlawat from Rai in Sonipat district after the Haryana BJP chief Mohan Lal Badoli, the sitting MLA from this seat, informed the party that he did not want to contest. Ms. Gahlawat lost the Rai Assembly poll in 2014, contesting on a BJP ticket.
Sardar Baldev Singh has been named for Dabwali constituency after the party’s Sirsa president Aditya Devi Lal joined the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) in protest after his name did not feature in the first list of candidates released on September 4.
Former Minister Manish Grover has again been fielded from Rohtak. He had lost to Congress’ B.B. Batra in 2019 from this constituency.
The party is yet to announce candidates for Mahendragarh, Sirsa and NIT Faridabad. While the party’s former State president and prominent Brahmin leader Rambilas Sharma is seeking ticket from Mahendragarh, Fariabad Lok Sabha MP Krishan Pal is keen on his son contesting from NIT Faridabad. Haryana Lokhit Party leader Gopal Kanda, who was seeking an alliance with the BJP, is the sitting MLA from Sirsa.
Published - September 10, 2024 04:02 pm IST
