Cong readies 2nd Haryana list as INLD-BJP spar over seats

CHANDIGARH, JANUARY 18: Even AS the INLD-BJP combine is grappling with the issue of seat-sharing for the forthcoming assembly elections in...

CHANDIGARH, JANUARY 18: Even AS the INLD-BJP combine is grappling with the issue of seat-sharing for the forthcoming assembly elections in the state, the Congress appears to have gained a headstart by initiating the process of finalising its candidates.The party’s state election committee, which finalised 16 candidates on Saturday, is learnt to have identified its nominees for another 12 constituencies.

The decision was taken by the state election committee, which met in Delhi last night, in the presence of AICC general secretary Moti Lal Vora who is in charge of party affairs in

Haryana.HPCC president Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who has won parliamentary elections from Rohtak constituency thrice in a row, will be the party candidate from Kiloi while former Minister K V Singh is to be fielded from Darba Kalan, sources said.

Former Minister L.D. Arora will contest from Sirsa, Shakuntala Bhagwadia from Bawal, Raghbir Singh Kadiyan from Beri and Virender Singh from Narnaud.Zakir Hussain, son of veteran leaderTayyab Hussain and the party candidate from Faridabad in the recent parliamentary elections, is being fielded from Tauru constituency.

Story continues below this ad

Jitender Malik will be the party candidate from Kailana, Nirmal Singh from Naggal, Devraj Dewan from Sonipat and Rao Inderjit Singh from Jatusana.The meeting was attended by HPCC president Bhupinder Singh Hooda, former chief minister Bhajan Lal, Shamsher Singh Surjewala and other senior leaders of the party. The party has already nominated all its 12 sitting legislators. Bhajan Lal will contest from Adampur, his traditional stronghold, in place of his younger son, Kuldeep Bishnoi, who bagged the seat in a by-election.

Dharamvir, who contested the Lok Sabha election from Bhiwani and lost to Ajay Singh Chautala, will contest from Tosham and Anand Singh Dangi is the candidate from Meham.