Ellenabad bypoll to be a litmus test for 3 main stakeholders in Haryana politics

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Hisar, September 28

With the announcement of schedule for the bypolls in different states of the country by the Election Commission of India, the stage has been set for a key contest in Ellenabad Assembly constituency of Sirsa district.

The bypoll will be a litmus test not only for the ruling BJP-JJP coalition, but also for the INLD and the Congress. The by-election was necessitated after INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala resigned from the Assembly on January 27 in support of the ongoing farmers’ agitation.

Bypolls to Mandi Lok Sabha and 3 Assembly seats in Himachal, Ellenabad Assembly seat in Haryana to be held on October 30

The INLD after a split in the outfit three years ago was reduced to just one seat – Ellenabad - in the Assembly election in 2019. However, after the release of party supremo Om Prakash Chautala from Tihar Jail on completion of jail term in the JBT recruitment case, the INLD has been trying to resurrect its cadre base by organising party functions across the state.

Abhay is likely to get re-nomination from the party to contest the Ellenabad byelection. He has gained the sympathy and support of the farmers after he kept his word and resigned from the Assembly seat.

The INLD had suffered a setback after Chautala’s elder son Ajay Singh and his sons - Dushyant and Digvijay - formed a separate outfit – Jannayak Janata Party which is in power in alliance with the BJP in the state.

The functioning of the ruling BJP-JJP will be put to test in the by-election. Though both the parties had contested separately in the 2019 assembly polls, they are likely to field a joint candidate in Ellenabad this time. The coalition will also have the advantage of being in power. The state government has also been trying to strengthen its position in Ellenabad. 

The Congress also has been trying to regain its ground after consecutive two drubbings in the assembly elections. State Congress president Kumari Selja has been trying to put the party cadre together and has visited across the state.  

Assembly result 2019

Abhay Singh Chautala INLD 57,055

Pawan Beniwal             BJP   45,133

Bharat Singh Beniwal  INC    35,383

OP Sihag                      JJP      6,569

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