RS polls: BJP bets on Jangra, Gautam in Haryana, Cong picks Hooda junior
The BJP on Thursday announced the candidature of Ram Chandra Jan gr a, a backward class leader from Haryana, and BJP’s national vice-president Dushyant Kumar Gautam for the biennial election to two Rajya Sabha seats from Haryana.
Jangra who comes from Rohtak district is a former chairman of Haryana Backward Classes and Economically Weaker Sections Welfare Corporation and Gautam is a scheduled caste leader from Delhi who spearheaded the campaign to restore the demolished Guru Ravidas temple in the national capital.
The Congress, the principal opposition party in Haryana assembly with 31 MLA, announced the candidature of Deepender Hooda, son of former chief minister, Bhupinder Singh Hooda. He had narrowly lost from his traditional Rohtak Lok
Sabha seat last year. His RS nomination means curtains for state Congress chief Kumari Selja. The two Rajya Sabha vacancies have come up due to the resignation of BJP’s Ram Kumar Kashyap and the expiry of the term of Congress leader Kumari Selja on April 9.
A third vacancy from Haryana has arisen following the resignation of former Union minister Birender Singh. The party is yet to announce its nominee for the by-election arising out of the resignation of Birender Singh. Kashyap resigned from the upper house last year to get a BJP ticket from the Indri assembly constituency and is now an MLA.
Considering the 40 assembly seats won by the ruling BJP and 31 by opposition Congress, the two should easily be able to elect one MP each. Both the BJP and Congress will need 31 single transferable votes to elect an MP. However, by pitting a second candidate, Dushyant Kumar Gautam, for the biennial poll, the BJP, it seems is hopeful of “betrayal” by Congress MLAs during the voting. Abstaining from casting one’s vote or voting against the party whip though would invite disqualification for the “errant” legislators.
The Congress can expect to get support from Meham independent Balraj Kundu, who recently withdrew his support to the BJPJJP government. The fate of the third seat up for a bypoll is a foregone conclusion as the BJP with 40 votes is likely to clinch it. A separate ballot paper will be used for the by-election.
There are five Rajya Sabha seats in Haryana. According to the Election Commission schedule, the last date for making the nomination is March 13. The scrutiny of nominations will be held on March 16 and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is March 18. Polling and counting of votes will be on March 26.