BJP yet to announce Rohtak candidate

While the Congress has fielded sitting MLA Bharat Bhushan Batra from Rohtak Assembly segment, the BJP is yet to announce its candidate from the city which always remains a key constituency in the state elections.

With the stakes being high, the candidature of the ruling party has become a prestige issue for the ticket aspirants.

Former minister and senior BJP leader Manish Grover, former Rohtak Mayor Manmohan Goel and noted cardiologist Dr Aditya Batra are the prominent leaders in the fray for the BJP ticket from Rohtak.

Though Grover had announced at a news conference that he would not contest the Assembly election from Rohtak this time, he seems to have taken a U-turn as he has been actively campaigning in the Rohtak segment. “Grover might have decided earlier not to contest, but who can resist the temptation of entering the poll fray on getting a chance?” quips a local BJP leader. While Grover has the strong support of former CM and current Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Dr Batra is backed by the RSS.

Nonetheless, former Rohtak Mayor Manmohan Goel, who is closely related to the family of BJP MP Naveen Jindal, has emerged as the frontrunner in recent days. Sources say the BJP leadership may allot Rohtak ticket to Goel in order to placate the Jindal family as Naveen’s mother Savitri Devi has been denied ticket by the ruling party and has expressed strong resentment.