Rajya Sabha poll: Outsider tag can spoil Ajay Maken’s prospects, says Power Minister

Tribune News Service

Hisar, June 5

Slamming the Congress for fielding an “outsider” candidate for Rajya Sabha seat from Haryana, Power and Jail Minister Ranjit Singh stated that the outsider tag could spoil the prospects of the Congress candidate. The “local versus outsider” issue could influence the MLAs during the polling.

Interacting with mediapersons in Hisar today, the minister, who is an Independent MLA from Rania Assembly segment in Sirsa district, maintained the Congress’ ploy to field Ajay Maken from Haryana, and Randeep Singh Surjewala, Mukul Wasnik and Pramod Tiwari from Rajasthan is likely to prove counterproductive as none of these candidates belong to the states where they have been sent to contest the RS poll. “It has become obvious that even some Congress MLAs are not in favour of fielding outsiders in RS poll. These MLAs have won elections with local support and are responsible for the voters back home and not only the party high command,” he stated.

The minister, who had announced support to Independent candidate Kartikeya Sharma, said that besides having the backing of the ruling BJP-JJP combine, he had many other Independent MLAs with him.

“Kartikeya is giving a tough fight to Congress candidate Maken. Kartikeya’s father Venod Sharma is a smart electoral manager. He had been a minister both in Punjab and Haryana in Congress governments and had also been a Rajya Sabha MP from the Congress. Let us see how he plays the game,” he stated.

Earlier, during the hearing of public grievances at the PWD rest house here, he ordered to chargesheet executive engineer of the Dakshin Haryana Bilji Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) Aneesh Arora and the transfer of a sub-divisional engineer.

About The Author

Tribune News Service

The Tribune News Service brings you the latest news, analysis and insights from the region, India and around the world. Follow the Tribune News Service for a wide-ranging coverage of events as they unfold, with perspective and clarity.

#ajay maken #randeep singh surjewala