Rebels in Haryana look to upset BJP’s electoral applecart

Rebels in Haryana look to upset BJP’s electoral applecart

CHANDIGARH: Rebels are threatening the ruling BJP in at least 15 of Haryana’s 90 seats voting for which will take place on October 5. The party continues to mollify these rebels but to little effect.

On the last day of the withdrawal of nominations on Tuesday, the party managed to convince about five rebel candidates and they withdrew their nomination. That leaves the party with at least 15 more seats it will have to contend with the rebel trouble.

It is learnt that prominent rebel candidates are Naveen Goyal from Gurugram, Kalyan Chauhan from Sohna, Jasbir Deswal from Safidon, Zile Ram Sharma from Assandh, Devender Kadian from Ganaur, Deepak Dagar from Prithla. While Savitri Jindal, mother of BJP Kurukshetra MP Naveen Jindal, is contesting as an Independent after being denied the ticket from Hisar against Kamal Gupta of the party.

Earlier former Haryana minister Ranjit Singh filed papers as an Independent candidate after being denied the ticket from Rania. While Nagendra Bhadana who joined the INLD after being denied the BJP ticket, will also play spoilsport for the BJP candidate Satish Fagna from Faridabad (NIT).

Sources said senior party leaders, including Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, state BJP chief Mohan Lal Badoli and party election in charge Dharmendra Pradhan tried to mollify the disgruntled rebel candidates.

They were able to pacify and convince a few of them who reportedly withdrew their nominations. These include Bharti Saini, Rampal Yadav, Shiv Kumar Mehta, Rajiv Jain and his wife and former Haryana minister Kavita Jain, was eyeing the ticket from Sonepat, former Karnal Mayor Renu Bala Gupta after her husband was elevated as working district BJP president and former deputy speaker Santosh Yadav who was a ticket aspirant from Ateli.

Sources said though the deadline for withdrawal of papers ended, efforts would still be made to woo the rebels back two weeks for the polling.