Devi Lal files papers

CHANDIGARH, June 5: Two leaders, including former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal, today filed their nomination papers for the biennial elect...

CHANDIGARH, June 5: Two leaders, including former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal, today filed their nomination papers for the biennial elections for two seats in Rajya Sabha from Haryana.

While Devi Lal, also a former Chief Minister of Haryana, entered the fray as a candidate of the Haryana Lok Dal (Rastriya), Rajiv Jain, general secretary of the Haryana Vikas Party (HVP) filed his nonimation as a covering candidate. Former Mizoram Governor, Swaraj Kaushal, had filed his nomination as a candidate of the HVP on Thursday.

Devi Lal, who lost the Rohtak parliamentary constituency by a margin of few hundred votes in the last general elections, filed his papers before the Assembly Secretary and Returning Officer Sumit Kumar, shortly after noon. He was accompanied by the his grandson, Abhay Chautala.

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Among those who proposed Devi Lal’s name included his son and former chief minister Om Prakash Chautala, Sampat Singh, Dhirpal Singh and Vidya Beniwal (all MLAs). The HLD(R) – which has given unconditional support to the Atal Behari Vajpayee’s government – is banking on the BJP for support.

HLD(R) president Om Prakash Chautala is already learnt to have discussed the matter with the BJP leaders. While the party has only 22 MLAs, the support from the BJP – which has 11 members in the state Assembly – can help it sail through the biennial elections. Besides, some Independents led by Dev Raj Diwan (MLA from Sonepat) and 2-3 Congress leaders are trying to rally support for Arvind Chaudhary, brother of BJP leader P. K. Chaudhary. Though Chaudhary has approached the Congress high command and state president Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the party is yet to take a decision.

The last date for filing nomination papers is June 6, while last date for withdrawal is June 11. The elections, if required, will be held on June 18.

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