Ellenabad bypoll: Prominent Haryana Congress leaders to campaign in Ellenabad

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Hisar, October 11

The Congress has handed out the task for campaigning in the Ellenabad byelection entirely to the state leaders, as no central leader of the party, except the Haryana affairs in charge Vivek Bansal, has been included in the list of star campaigners.

AICC ’s list of Star campaigners

The AICC’s list of star campaigners for the byelection includes state chief Kumari Selja, ex-CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Kuldeep Bishnoi, Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Hooda, Kiran Choudhary and Capt Ajay Yadav.

Three nomination papers cancelled

Returning Officer Narender Pal Malik said two nominations papers filed for Ellenabad were cancelled due to the non-deposit of the fee and non-fulfillment of proposers, while the third nomination paper was cancelled as the person was a covering candidate of a party.

The AICC has issued a list of star campaigners which includes state president Kumari Selja, former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Kuldeep Bishnoi, Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Hooda, Kiran Choudhary and Capt Ajay Yadav. The bypoll is also a test of the unity of the leaders in the Haryana unit, which is marred by factionalism.

The Congress has fielded Pawan Beniwal who defected from the BJP to the Congress recently, much to the annoyance of the former MLA Bharat Singh Beniwal. The Congress is thus not only facing challenge from the INLD and the ruling BJP-JJP, Bharat Beniwal too could make a dent if he turns rebel, as he has a dedicated cadre base in the segment, said a party leader. Meanwhile, the Congress has roped in the Olympics bronze medallist boxer Vijender Kumar to strike a chord with the youth.

Political observers said the Congress had also brought in some other leaders, including Chakrawarti Sharma, Ashok Arora, Charanjeet Singh Rori, Sushil Indora, Bajrang Garg and Bhupender Gangwa, in an attempt to strike caste equations.

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