6 withdraw nomination on last day, 21 candidates left in the fray in Jind

SYMBOLS ALLOTTED JJP-backed independent candidate Digvijay Chautala was allotted the symbol of cup and plate while auto-rickshaw will be the symbol of Vinod Ashri of Loktantra Suraksha Party

ANSHUL SINGLA, WHO HAD FILED PAPERS AS AN INDEPENDENT AFTER BEING SNUBBED BY THE CONG, WITHDREW HIS NOMINATION AFTER RECONCILING WITH THE PARTY

ROHTAK : As many as six candidates withdrew their nomination on Monday, leaving 21 in the fray for the for Jind byelection slated for January 28. Monday was the last day of withdrawal of nominations.

Among those who withdrew their candidature was Anshul Singla, the son of two-time MLA and former minister Brij Mohan. Singla had filed his nomination as an independent after he was snubbed by the Congress. He has, however, reconciled with the party. Addressing a press conference after withdrawing his nomination, Singla, whose father was associated with the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), praised Congress candidate Randeep Singh Surjewala and announced his full support to him.

“My motive was not to fight elections but to work for Jind’s development. It will be fulfilled when Surjewala will win. Just like he worked for Kaithal, he will transform Jind as well,” said Singla. Rajender Singh, Karamvir, Pawan Jain, Harish Kumar, Ashok Goyal and Leelu were the other five candidates who withdrew their nominations on the last day. A total of 34 candidates had filed nomination for the bypoll, out of which the election commission cancelled the candidature of seven contenders after scrutiny of their papers. Now, six candidates have withdrawn their nomination, leaving 21 to fight out the mini-battle of 2019. The election commission on Monday also allotted symbols to the candidates. Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) backed independent candidate Digvijay Chautala was allotted the symbol of cup and plate. Vinod Ashri, who is contesting from rebel Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP’s newly floated Loktantra Suraksha Party (LSP), was given an auto-rickshaw symbol for the bypoll. The byelection is expected to be a close contest between the candidates of the BJP, Congress, JJP and INLD. The stakes in the low-key bypoll were raised when the Congress surprisingly fielded its senior leader and sitting Kaithal MLA Randeep Surjewala as its candidate. In response, the newly formed JJP also fielded veteran leader Ajay Chautala’s younger son Digvijay from its party. A company of rapid action force (RAF), comprising 194 personnel, reached the district on Monday.