Rajya Sabha elections: Kartikeya Sharma garners support amid last-minute ‘offers’, mock tests

Leaving no stone unturned to ensure that their respective candidates — Congress has fielded Ajay Maken, BJP has nominated Krishan Panwar, while JJP has extended support to Kartikeya Sharma — make to the Upper House of the Parliament.

Among others, both the BJP-JJP ruling alliance and Congress held “mock tests” to ensure there was no goof-up or last minute glitch, especially by the first timers, when they vote through ballot papers on Friday.

In the 90-member Haryana Vidhan Sabha , BJP has 40 MLAs, Congress 31, JJP has 10, while there are seven Independent MLAs and one each from Indian National Lok Dal and Haryana Lokhit Party. Forty-three MLAs are are first-timers of which maximum 17 are in BJP, while 14 belong to the Congress, six of JJP and as many Independents. A swing of two-three MLAs – be it through cross-voting or by abstaining – can change the equations for the nominees.

BJP sources told The Indian Express that all the MLAs are being “trained” through mock tests. “Certain MLAs, who would be casting their vote for the first time in a Rajya Sabha poll, need to be properly trained and briefed on the Dos and Dont’s. This time, the stakes are extremely high. No party can afford to commit a ‘mistake’ in casting the vote,” a BJP leader said.

A similar exercise was also conducted for Congress MLAs, who reached New Delhi Thursday evening and have been housed at Rajasthan government’s guest house at Chanakyapuri. CLP leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda is stationed in Chandigarh in the evening while Maken, party-appointed observers — Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, MP Rajeev Shukla and state Congress president Udai Bhan — were expected to reach the state capital late evening or early Friday morning.

Sulking Congress MLA Kuldeep Bishnoi too reached Chandigarh and met some Independent legislators but was yet to make his stand clear on voting in the Rajya Sabha polls.

Sources disclosed that Bishnoi has “softened” over the last two days. “Maken got in touch with him. The party is hopeful that he would also cast his vote in favour of Maken,” one of the MLAs who met Bishnoi told The Indian Express.

Several MLAs told The Indian Express that huge amounts of money was being offered in lieu of votes. “A senior doctor approached me on behalf of one of the nominees and offered me a hefty amount for my support. I told him that I am not for sale and will vote as per my choice and support a candidate who will work for the interest of Haryana,” one independent MLA told The Indian Express.

Another Independent MLA told The Indian Express that almost all the top leaders of the three parties and even Independent candidate Kartikeya Sharma had approached him. “But it is obvious, if a candidate is contesting a poll, they would contact the voters. But, I told all of them that I would disclose my decision at the last minute”.
Congress, meanwhile, is confident that its candidate will sail through. “We are hoping go get two or three more votes than the required 30. Congress is not fearing cross-voting. Rather BJP-JJP should focus on their MLAs who may support Congress nominee,” a senior Congress leader, who claimed to be in constant touch with some ruling party MLAs, told The Indian Express.

Several legislators, however, fear that there could be a last-minute technical glitch or one or two MLAs may abstain from voting putting in jeopardy the prospects of the Congress nominee. “BJP would not have backed the Independent candidate, if they were not sure of his victory. Something must be up their sleeves. There is a possibility that a few votes may be disqualified or somebody may abstain from voting. In that case, it may damage Congress nominee’s prospects,” another senior MLA told The Indian Express.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala, and BJP state president Om Prakash Dhankar today held a discussion with all the coalition and a few Independent MLAs for a final push before the Rajya Sabha polling, tomorrow.

Independent MLA Balraj Kundu, who is yet to make his stand clear, was on Thursday evening approached by Kartikeya Sharma’s father and former Union Minister Venod Sharma, who sought support for his son.

Kundu told reporters that he will reveal his strategy on Friday. He also took a dig at the BJP, saying its leaders
used to take potshots at the Congress for lodging their legislators in a resort over fears of poaching but now they too have done the same thing. “Why the BJP and the JJP are lodging their MLAs in a resort here. One thing is clear from this that both outfits don’t have faith in their MLAs and they fear cross-voting,” he said.

Kartikeya Sharma gets closer to the mark

Citing reasons for why he is supporting Kartikeya Sharma, Abhay Chautala said, “When Chaudhary Om Prakash Chautala was undergoing sentence at Tihar jail, Ajay Singh Chautala had distanced himself. But, Venod Sharma’s son Manu
Sharma took care of my father as a son. Thus, I would support Manu’s brother Kartikeya Sharma”.

Talking about the speculations of Abhay abstaining, he said, “If I don’t vote tomorrow, Congress would stand benefitted. But, I would never give my vote neither to Congress nor to BJP. When my father was imprisoned and sentenced, it was all due to fake witnesses created during Congress government under Bhupinder Singh Hooda. And BJP has traumatised farmers for which I had even resigned and contested a by poll. To defeat me, BJP even paid Rs. 15,000 per vote, but I yet won Ellenabad. I would never vote for neither Congress, nor BJP”.

Kartikeya’s father Venod Sharma met Independent MLA from Meham, Balraj Kundu at the latter’s residence at Chandigarh. The meeting lasted for over an hour. Balraj is the only MLA, who has yet not announced which way he would go, tomorrow. But, sources disclosed that he may too support Kartikeya Sharma.

Kuldeep Bishnoi and Bhupinder Hooda travelled to Chandigarh from New Delhi on the same Vistara airlines flight, this evening. However, the Congress was yet not confident if Bishnoi would support it’s nominee Ajay Maken or support Kartikeya Sharma.

It was learnt that Bhupinder Singh Hooda, although strongly canvassing and seeking support for party high command’s nominee Ajay Maken; but he too had recommended his own choices. “Bhupinder Hooda had suggested three names Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma and Ashok Arora to the party high command. But, none of his recommendations was accepted and Ajay Maken was nominated”, a senior Congress leader told The Indian Express.