Across parties, ticket distribution sparks resentment

Rebellion hit the Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) too after rebels accused party chief Kuldeep Bishnoi of selling tickets. The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) is going through a bad phase itself as it has lost over a dozen senior leaders who are now contesting on tickets of other parties, mostly under the BJP banner.

The Congress has lost a number of senior leaders since the Lok Sabha polls. Union minister Rao Inderjit and former chief parliamentary secretary Dharambir joined the BJP, while Venod Sharma – who was Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s Man Friday for many years – formed his own party and is now contesting in alliance with the HJC. Ravinder Rawal, who was denied a ticket from Panchkula, is now contesting on the HJC ticket.

The Congress has faced rebellion in almost all of the 10 Lok Sabha constituencies. Prominent leader from Bhiwani, Shiv Shanker Bhardwaj, who was denied a ticket has now threatened to contest independently.

The BJP, which gave tickets to 19 turncoats, is facing criticism from its own leaders, who are publicly speaking against the party and
even working against it. The latest entry on this list is Chander Bhatia, who was denied a ticket from Faridabad, and is now being fielded by INLD.

Jai Singh Rana and Bahadur Singh, who had joined the BJP hoping to get a ticket, quit after they missed the list. They will now challenge the BJP at Ghraunda and Loharu respectively on tickets offered by Bishnoi. Jasbir Mallaur, who quit the INLD some time ago, moved to the BJP in the hope of a ticket. After being denied one, he may contest as an independent.

The saffron party is facing resentment against its own leaders with not even state unit chief Ram Bilas Sharma, Captain Abhimanyu, Om Prakash Dhankar and Manohar Lal Khattar being spared. The BJP, it seems, was left with no choice but to change its candidate from Gohana, where it had fielded Jai Singh Thekedar. He had come from the Aam Aadmi Party. The party has now fielded a leader from the backward class in this Jat-dominated constituency.

Bhiwani-Mahendragarh MP Dharambir Singh, who wanted his brother to get a ticket from Tosham, was denied a ticket and is now challenging the party’s Kiran Choudhry as an independent candidate. Incidentally, Dharambir and Kiran belong to rival families.

Rebellion has bothered Renuka Bishnoi too, the wife of HJC chief Kuldeep Bishnoi, whose candidature has been opposed in Hansi (Hisar).

Renuka filled in for her husband at their family seat of Adampur after he was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2011. This time, since he is in the fray from Adampur, Bishnoi handed her the Hansi ticket, which was the pocket borough of his father Bhajan Lal. Former MLA Amir Chand’s daughter Renu Makkar is among those opposing her.

HJC candidate Vinod Bhayana won this seat in the last election but shifted loyalty to the Congress with four others. His candidature was opposed by state Congress chief Ashok Tanwar. However, the party stood by him, as a result of which he will face Renuka.

Shakuntla Khatak, who was introduced to politics by Hooda in the last election from Kalanaur, is facing revolt despite Hooda backing her and giving her a ticket from the constituency.