Haryana is going through a rebel problem with ticket hopefuls for the upcoming assembly election from main contenders Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress jumping into the electoral fray in their fight against official candidates in an attempt to emerge as kingmakers.
The two parties reportedly managed to convince some of the ticket hopefuls who were denied a chance this time to withdraw their nominations. However, a good number of "rebels" are still in the fight against the leaders fielded by parties.
The Rebel Trouble
Savitri Jindal
Among the most prominent faces who have decided to contest the polls as an independent is Asia's richest woman and chairperson of the OP Jindal Group, 74-year-old Savitri Jindal, who has entered the fray against Haryana Minister and BJP's sitting MLA from Hisar Kamal Gupta.
"The Jindal family has always served Hisar. I am fully dedicated to living up to the expectations of the people and maintaining their trust. This is my last election and I want a chance to complete the unfinished work of the people Hisar," news agency PTI quoted Savitri Jindal as saying.
Jindal was elected as an MLA from the Hisar seat twice -- in 2005 and 2009 on a Congress ticket. She was made a minister in the Singh Hooda government in 2013.
Asked about her rebellion while her son continues to be a BJP MP from Kurkukshetra, Jindal claimed "she had not officially joined the BJP and had only campaigned for her son".
Ranjit Singh Chautala
Son of former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal and former power minister Ranjit Singh Chautala is also contesting as an Independent from Rania in Sirsa district after BJP denied him a ticket.
Ranjit Chautala also resigned as a Cabinet minister after the ticket was denied to him.
Chautala in 2019 also had contested the assembly election as an Independent candidate from Rania after allegedly being "ignored by the Congress" and had announced support to the BJP when the counting of votes was still on.
He formally joined the BJP in March this year after resigning as MLA and was fielded by the saffron party in the Lok Sabha elections from Hisar but was defeated by Congress' Jai Parkash.
Chitra Sarwara
Chitra Sarwara, the daughter of former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda's confidant Nirmal Singh, is fighting as an Independent from Ambala Cantonment after she being denied a ticket by the Congress. Sarwara's father is the Congress nominee from the Ambala City constituency.
Chitra Sarwara is fighting against the BJP's Anil Vij, a six-time MLA and former home minister, and Parvinder Singh Pari of the Congress.
Even in the 2019 Assembly elections, after the Congress denied a ticket, Sarwara contested as Independent and stood runner-up with over 44,400 votes against Vij. Congress candidate Venu Singla secured the third spot.
Naveen Goyal
Naveen Goyal, the former BJP state convenor for the Trade Cell, quit the party after he was denied a ticket and is contesting the polls from Gurgaon as an Independent.
"Several key functionaries at booth, mandal and district level in Haryana have left the BJP due to poor ticket distribution and it will definitely impact the party's fortunes in the upcoming polls. I have been working for Gurgaon for nearly 15 years and the party choosing an outsider for the constituency has also upset the voters.
"I am contesting the elections as per the choice of my supporters and they will only decide my electoral future," Goyal told PTI, however, he did not comment on which party he will support in forming the government if he wins the elections.
Other prominent rebels from whom BJP can face troubles include Devender Kadian from Ganaur, Zile Ram Sharma from Assandh, Deepak Dagar from Prithla, Kehar Singh Rawat from Hathin, Jasbir Deswal from Safidon, Kehar Singh Rawat from Hathin, Kalyan Chauhan from Sohna, among others.
For the Congress, the challenge is stiffer as it has more rebels contesting as independents: 29 dissidents up against party nominees in 20 constituencies, according to PTI.
These include Neetu Maan from Prithla, Sudheer Chaudhari from Pataudi; Manoj from Kosli; Satwinder, Anita Dhul, Deepak, and Sumit from Kalayat; Naresh Dhande and Daluram from Guhala,; Harsh Chhikara from Gohana; Sanjeet from Jhajjar; Pradeep Gill from Jind; Lalit Nagar from Tigaon, Sharda Rathore from Ballabhgarh and Randhir Golan, Sajjan Dhul, Satbir, and Sunita Batan from Pundri.
Parties Convince Some Rebels
The window for the withdrawal of nominations closed on Monday, September 16, but senior party leaders reached out to many of these rebel candidates and persuaded them to back out.
Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini met BJP leader Rajiv Jain, who had entered the contest against the party nominee in Sonipat.
After being persuaded by the CM, Jain, whose wife Kavita is a senior leader and a former minister, withdrew from the contest.
The BJP also managed to persuade senior party leader Ram Bilas Sharma, who had filed nominations from Mahendragarh, against contesting.
After meeting the veteran leader, Saini had said Sharma is a beacon of light for the Haryana BJP.
For the Congress, senior leader and former minister Sampat Singh withdrew his nomination from the Nalwa seat while another leader, Ram Kishen 'Fauji', withdrew from the race from the Bawani Khera segment.
