JJP’s 17 nominees switched sides from other parties

CHANDIGARH: In a wait-and-watch strategy, the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) succeeded in poaching at least 17 “candidates” from other parties.

Having released its first list of seven candidates as early as September 13, it opted to linger its subsequent lists. It named its 90 candidates in six lists, the last being of five candidates, which came on October 4, the last day of filing nomination papers.

Its strategy worked and the JJP, which was floated just a year ago following a split in the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), has over 15 leaders from rival BJP, Congress and INLD who got disgruntled over denial of ticket by their parties.

Former Congress’ MLA and Rajya Sabha member Ishwar Singh was denied ticket following which he joined JJP and is contesting from Gulha. Another senior Congress leader and two-time MLA Satwinder Rana is a JJP candidate from Kalayat.

Ram Karan Kala, who was with the INLD and had lost just 500 votes from Shahbad in 2014 assembly polls, first shifted to Congress which denied him ticket this time. He is now JJP candidate from Shahbad.

Ex-Congress minister Mange Ram Gupta too is in JJP fold and his son Mahavir is JJP candidate from Jind. Also, two-time Congress MLA Anita Yadav joined JJP and her son Samrat Yadav is the party candidate from Ateli.

Former minister and senior Congress leader Satpal Sangwan and Bhupender Malik shifted to JJP recently and were given ticket from Dadri and Baroda.

Shiv Shankar Bhardwaj (Bhiwani), who was earlier with Congress, and later with the BJP,was denied ticket. He has joined JJP and is contesting from Bhiwani.

Jogi Ram Sihag, who has been an active leader of the BJP in Barwala segment, got JJP ticket from the segment, after he quit the saffron party over denial of ticket.

Pawan Kharkhoda, who finished second in 2014 as an independent and joined the BJP later, is now JJP candidate from Kharkhoda. Aman Ahmad, who fought from Ferozepur Jhirka as an independent in 2014, is fighting on a JJP ticket this time.

Rohtas Khatana, who remained active in INLD and Congress, was given ticket from Sohna by JJP. Iqbal Zaildar, a prominent BJP leader in Punhana segment, had quit party after the 2014 polls and has been given ticket by JJP. He was Congress district minority cell chief.

Devender Babli, who was associated with Congress and sought ticket from Tohana, got JJP ticket. Former local BJP leader Virender Siwach too has been pitted by JJP from Fatehabad.

Others like Sanjay Kablana, the JJP’s candidate from Badli, Kamlesh Saini (Narnaul), who was associated with BJP and INLD, are now contesting on JJP tickets.