BJP MLAs hold strategy meeting, training session for first-timers

Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Haryana BJP president Mohan Lal Badoli, several ministers, including Mahipal Dhanda, Arti Singh Rao and Shruti Choudhry, were also present during the day-long meeting held at a five-star hotel here.

Party leaders said the gathering focused on ensuring that MLAs are fully prepared for the voting procedure and the political strategy required for the election.

Speaking to reporters before the meeting, Dhanda stressed the importance of training legislators about the technical aspects of the voting process. “Training for MLAs is a good thing. Because one dot here and there while marking a vote can make a vote invalid,” he said, referring to the specific method used in the Rajya Sabha voting.

BJP MLAs were seen travelling together in a bus in Chandigarh on Saturday, a move Badoli said was part of preparations and training for the legislators.

Dismissing speculation about secrecy, he said the party was openly preparing its MLAs for the vote. “We are not hiding anything. This is the land of Haryana, miracles happen here,” he said.

In contrast, the Congress moved its MLAs to Kufri near Shimla in neighbouring Himachal Pradesh in a bid to prevent possible cross-voting. Senior party leaders, including AICC in charge BK Hariprasad and Haryana Congress chief Rao Narender Singh, accompanied the legislators.

The 90-member Haryana Assembly has 48 BJP MLAs, 37 from the Congress, two from the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), and three Independents. A candidate requires 31 votes to secure a Rajya Sabha seat from Haryana.

The two seats are falling vacant as the terms of BJP members Kiran Choudhry and Ram Chander Jangra end on April 9.

The outcome could hinge on cross-voting, recalling the 2022 Rajya Sabha election when Congress candidate Ajay Maken lost despite having sufficient numbers after a cross-vote helped Independent candidate Kartikeya Sharma secure victory.

Polling will take place from 9 am to 4 pm on March 16, with counting scheduled to begin at 5 pm the same day.