Haryana polls: BJP faces unprecedented crisis as nomination deadline ends

The Haryana unit of the BJP has been hit by a wave of defections over its selection of candidates. (File Photo: PTI)

Battling a decade of anti-incumbency and a loss of face in the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is faced with an unprecedented crisis within its ranks just ahead of the Haryana Assembly elections. Upset over being denied tickets, several of these leaders are venting out their grievances in public, an issue that has aggravated the crisis further.

It all began on September 4 with the release of the BJP’s first list for the Haryana polls, scheduled to be held on October 8. The list saw some big names being dropped, resulting in an immediate revolt. Energy Minister Ranjit Singh Chautala and Minister of State for Social Justice Bishamber Singh Balmiki stepped down from the government.OBC Morcha state president Karan Dev Kamboj, a former minister, quit the party while MLA Laxman Napa joined the Congress.

The release of the second list of 21 candidates led to a fresh rebellion as several prominent leaders, including former deputy speaker Santosh Yadav, state BJP spokesperson Satyavrat Shastri and state executive committee member Shiv Kumar Mehta. Savitri Jindal, the mother of BJP’s Kurukshetra MP Naveen Jindal and one of India’s richest women, also filed her nomination from Hisar as an independent after being denied a ticket.

The BJP faced further embarrassment as Union minister and Gurgaon MP Rao Inderjit Singh, who has been vocal against the state leadership despite his daughter Arti Singh Rao being given a ticket from Ateli, came out in support of five-time MLA from Mahendragarh Ramvilas Sharma who is now contesting as a rebel candidate after being ignored for a ticket. According to a report by Times Of India, Bhiwani-Mahendragarh MP Dharambir Singh was also present with Rao when he addressed a gathering in Mahendragarh alongside Sharma.

As many as 33 per cent of the BJP’s sitting MLAs have been dropped as candidates this time with Chief Minister Nayab Saini having little say in the selection process.

The elections to the 90-member Haryana Assembly will be held on October 5 and the results will be declared on October 8. The deadline for candidates to file their nominations ended on Thursday, September 12.