Ellenabad Bypoll: Abhay Chautala unlikely to have smooth sailing

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Hisar, October 15

The INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala is perhaps amidst the toughest electoral battles of his political life. The outcome of the election will not only be a mandate of people in his bastion, but will also decide the course of the INLD’s relevance in Haryana politics.

Bharat Beniwal to campaign for Congress

Hisar: Softening his stand towards the Congress, disgruntled leader Bharat Singh Beniwal said he would stay with the party and accept the decision of the high command to deny him the ticket. He has agreed to campaign for the party along with the state president Kumari Selja. Beniwal was upset with the party after the Congress allotted the ticket to his arch-rival Pawan Beniwal. TNS

Eyeing his fourth straight win from the Ellenabad Assembly segment, Abhay is up against “strongest rivals” fielded by the ruling combine of the BJP-JJP and the opposition Congress party. The BJP-JJP nominated Gobind Kanda is younger brother of Sirsa MLA Gopal Kanda, while the Congress has fielded Pawan Beniwal who, as BJP candidate, had been the main rival of Abhay in Ellenabad in the past two Assembly polls.

Realising the importance of the bypoll, the INLD has come out with all guns blazing in the campaign trail.

Abhay embarked on a village-to-village tour of 74 villages yesterday. His sons Karan and Arjun were reaching out to every family head in the tour of their father in villages.

“We have decided a man-to-man marking strategy in the personal contact programme. Arjun is leading the grassroots campaign. After he completes the visit to a particular village, then a meeting of Abhay Singh is organised in the same village,” said Rakesh Sihag, spokesperson of the party.

Abhay will hold meetings in 74 villages and the urban areas in the segment. The tour events of the former CM Om Prakash Chautala are also lined up soon who, accompanied by grandson Karan too, is likely to cover maximum villages, said a party official

The BJP-JJP and the Congress are trying to turn the heat on Abhay for forcing a byelection on the people and again joining the fray while arguing that he (Abhay) should not enter the fray until the issue of farm laws is resolved.