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Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, April 21
Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda will contest the Lok Sabha election from Sonepat with the Congress today announcing his nomination from the seat.
In a late-night development, Congress president Rahul Gandhi approved the pending candidates from Haryana, putting an end to any likelihood of an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party.
Bhavya Bishnoi, son of Kuldeep Bishnoi, the sitting Adampur MLA, will be the Congress candidate from Hisar and former Haryana Speaker Kuldeep Sharma will contest from Karnal, the segment where his father Chiranji Lal Sharma used to hold sway.
As reported earlier, the Congress today cancelled the candidature of MLA Lalit Nagar from Faridabad and instead named former MP Avtar Singh Bhadana, who was on the verge of quitting the Congress after being denied the ticket. Bhadana had recently joined the Congress after exiting from the BJP.
The Kurukshetra seat has gone to Nirmal Singh after former MP and industrialist Naveen Jindal declined to fight from here.
Hooda’s candidature from Sonepat is significant and signals the Congress’ urge to put its best foot forward in Haryana. That’s the reason why sitting Rajya Sabha MP from Haryana Kumari Selja is also contesting.
Kuldeep Bishnoi was insistent that his son be fielded from Hisar. Gandhi finally approved the nomination.
Kuldeep Sharma also wanted his son to be named as a candidate from Karnal, but the party decided to field him instead.
With tonight’s announcement, the Congress has declared all 10 Lok Sabha candidates from Haryana.