Haryana BJP faces rebellion after announcing first list of 67 candidates

CHANDIGARH: After being denied tickets for the October 5 Assembly elections in Haryana, scores of BJP functionaries, including a sitting minister, a legislator, former ministers, and party leaders, announced their resignation on Thursday, a day after the state’s ruling party announced its first list of 67 candidates.  Power Minister Ranjit Chautala, who contested the 2019 Assembly elections as an Independent but was later inducted into the Cabinet, announced his decision to resign as Minister as well as from the primary membership of the BJP after meeting his supporters in Rania on Thursday.

Addressing his supporters, Ranjit Chautala said that being the son of former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal, he cannot compromise in any situation.

“I will contest the elections as an Independent nominee from Rania. The BJP offered me a ticket from Dabwali, but I turned down the proposal. I am resigning from the Cabinet and the primary membership of the party,” he said.

In the 2019 elections, Ranjit Chautala contested as an Independent candidate after the Congress denied him a ticket.

In the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections held earlier this year, he joined the BJP after resigning as an MLA. He contested the Lok Sabha polls from Hisar but lost to Congress’ Jai Parkash.

In Ratia, the party has given ticket to former Sirsa MP Sunita Duggal. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Duggal was denied re-nomination from Sirsa where former Haryana Congress chief Ashok Tanwar was fielded by the BJP. Tanwar, however, lost to Congress veteran Kumari Selja.

Joining a league of rebels, sitting BJP legislator from Ratia (SC) Lakshman Dass Napa quit from all positions in the party after being denied a ticket. Speculation is rife that he will join the Congress after meeting former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

The BJP on Wednesday released its first list of 67 candidates, fielding Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini from Ladwa in Kurukshetra district. Saini, who replaced Manohar Lal Khattar as the Chief Minister in March this year, is currently the MLA from Karnal.

BJP’s key OBC leader Karan Dev Kamboj, who was denied a ticket from Indri, also resigned from all party posts on Thursday.

“Me and my family have been part of the BJP since the time of Jan Sangh. I have worked with a lot of dedication, but now the party has adopted Congress’ culture,” Kamboj told the media. Without mincing words, he said the Congress would form the next government while “BJP’s dream will just remain a dream”.

Upset over denial of nomination from Sonipat, former minister Kavita Jain was in tears at a meeting with her supporters, giving the party high command an ultimatum to change its candidate Nikhil Madan within three days.

Jain also claimed that she was cheated after senior party leaders assured her of a ticket. In Safidon in Jind district, former MLA Bachan Singh Arya resigned after JJP rebel Ram Kumar Gautam was fielded from the seat. Arya will now contest as an Independent. Gautam had joined the BJP earlier this week.

Interestingly, Sunil Sangwan, the prison officer who granted parole to rape convict Ram Rahim six times before resigning from his position, has been given a BJP ticket, raising questions about the party’s stance on women’s safety.

Meanwhile, supporters of former minister Savitri Jindal, mother of Kurukshetra BJP MP Naveen Jindal, met her at her residence in Hisar on Thursday and urged her to contest as an Independent after the BJP retained Health Minister Kamal Gupta as its candidate. Savitri Jindal and her son Naveen Jindal had joined the BJP in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections. She was seeking a BJP ticket from Hisar.

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