Suspense grows as BJP, Congress yet to decide candidates for Hisar seat

Tribune News Service

Deepender Deswal

Hisar, March 16

Suspense continues regarding the nominees of the BJP and the Congress for the crucial Hisar Lok Sabha constituency.

The recent political developments have affected the Hisar constituency the most. The exit of prominent leaders JJP leader Dushyant Chautala from the BJP-led coalition government and Hisar MP Brijendra Singh has driven both the BJP and the Congress to redraw their strategies regarding the possible candidates.

Sources said both parties were weighing their options of probable candidates in Hisar in view of the caste equations.

The BJP probables include Deputy Speaker Ranbir Gangwa, MLA from Nalwas segment, former Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyu, and former MP Kuldeep Bishnoi. Party insiders said in case CM Nayab Saini included Bhavya Bishnoi, son of Kuldeep Bishnoi in his Cabinet in the expansion tomorrow, Gangwa (from backward community) and Abhimanyu (Jat community) would be the contenders.

The Congress is in a similar quandary. The aspirants include BJP-turned-Congressman Brijendra Singh, former Union minister Jai Prakash and retired IAS officer Chander Prakash. Party sources said though Brijendra was new to the Congress, his father and former Union minister Birender Singh enjoyed considerable influence in the party.

Birender Singh would join the Congress tomorrow and lobby for the party ticket for his son from the Hisar or Sonepat Lok Sabha seats. Chander Prakash, who belonged to the backward community, could checkmate both Brijendra and Jai Prakash as the party was considering to field a non-Jat candidate here.

A political expert said Chander Prakash fit the bill for the Congress to counter the BJP’s non-Jat formula in Hisar.

Jai Prakash, who won in 1989, 1996 and 2004 from Hisar, representing different parties, had also lost four times from Hisar, and the Adampur byelection last year.

The JJP, which is now in opposition, is keeping a conspicuous silence on whether it will join the poll battle or not.

The INLD has announced to field a candidate, but has yet to decide the name.

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