Congress witnesses surge in ticket aspirants for reserved seats

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, August 17

The Congress has received on an average 19 applications more in each constituency reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) than general ones for the Assembly polls slated for October 1.

A total 17 out of 90 Assembly seats are reserved for the SCs. The Congress had won 7 seats, BJP 5, JJP 4 while Independent candidate romped home victorious on one seat in 2019 Assembly elections.

The Congress recently invited applications for the party ticket for all 90 Assembly segments and August 10 was the last date to submit the application. A total 2,556 aspirants have sought the party ticket across the state.

The analysis of the aspirants’ list reveals that the Congress has got 743 applications for 17 reserved seats with an average of around 44 applications per seat while a total 1,813 aspirants have applied for the remaining 73 general seats with an average of around 25 applications per seat.

A large number of applications for the majority of reserved seats have kept analysts busy in assessing its political meanings in the run-up to the Assembly polls.

“It’s a good sign for the Congress and it may also be the result of the SC-centric approach being adopted by the Congress leaders not only in the state but also at the national level. The SC votes in a good number went in favour of the Congress in the recent Lok Sabha polls, which helped the party wrest five seats from the BJP. The Congress also clinched both reserved seats — Sirsa and Ambala — in the elections,” said a political analyst.

He maintained that a high number of applications for the SC seats might also make it tough for the Congress leadership to pick up its nominee for the Assembly polls.

“Barring four out of 17 seats, more than 30 applications have been received in each of 13 other reserved seats. Interestingly, the number of applications is over 40 in all four seats won by the JJP in the previous 2019 Assembly elections. Among them, 56 aspirants have applied for Shahabad (Kurukshetra), 57 for Uklana (Hisar), 45 for Guhla (Kaithal) and 44 for Narwana (Jind),” said a Congress leader.

He maintained that among the five seats being represented by the BJP MLAs, 78 aspirants had applied for the Congress ticket for Bawani Khera (Bhiwani), 52 for Bawal (Rewari), 42 for Pataudi (Gurugram), 38 for Ratia and two for Hodal (Palwal). A total 88 applications received for Nilokheri (Karnal) being represented by an Independent in the Vidhan Sabha was the highest not only in reserved category but also in the general category, he added.

As far as the Assembly segment of the Congress MLAs are concerned, 55 aspirants have applied for Kalanaur (Rohtak), 54 for Kharkhoda (Sonepat), 46 for Mullana (Ambala), 33 for Israna (Panipat), 27 for Sadhaura (Yamunanagar), 14 for Kalawali (Sirsa) and 12 for Jhajjar. State Congress president Udai Bhan has applied for Hodal, hence besides him, one more application has been received from there.