india

Updated: Sep 14, 2019 10:32 IST

The Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) on Friday announced names of its seven candidates, including a former minister and two former legislators, for the upcoming assembly polls in Haryana.

A splinter outfit of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) led by Dushyant Chautala, the JJP was floated last year after INLD supremo Om Prakash Chautala expelled his elder son and former MP Ajay Chautala as well as latter’s both sons — former MP Dushyant and youth leader Digvijay — for anti-party activities.

The names of candidates were announced by Digvijay and JJP state president Nishan Singh at a press conference in Sirsa.

While former minister Harsh Kumar would contest from Hathin, former INLD MLA Anoop Dhanak, who had switched to JJP, would fight from the Uklana (reserved) seat. Likewise, former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Ram Kumar Gautam has been named for Narnaund seat.

Harsh Kumar had fought seven assembly elections from Hathin and won twice. He won in 1996 as the then Haryana Vikas party (HVP) candidate and as an Independent in 2005.

He had joined the BJP, but recently moved to the JJP.

Anoop Dhanak had won on INLD ticket in 2014, though he switched loyalty towards Dushyant Chautala after the split in the INLD. He, along with four other INLD MLAs, were thus disqualified from the Vidhan Sabha.

Gautam was among two BJP MLAs to have won in 2005.

The other four JJP candidates are — Devender Kadian, son of former speaker in INLD regime Satbir Kadian, who would contest from Panipat (rural) seat; Shyam Sunder from Bawal (reserved); Kamlesh Saini from Narnaul and Rao Ramesh Palri from Mahendergarh.

Shyam Sunder had unsuccessfully contested 2014 assembly elections from Bawal as an INLD nominee, but got over 30,000 votes; Kamlesh Saini had also fought last assembly polls from Narnaul on INLD’s ticket and finished second.

Palri is JJP’s Mahendergarh district president and had since long been associated with the INLD.

The dates for the assembly polls are expected to be announced soon.

Meanwhile, amid efforts by some khaps leaders for rapprochement in the Chautala family, former Hisar MP Dushyant Chautala had on Thursday said his party will contest on all the 90 seats in the state.

“I have always said that as family we are one. But as far as charting out our political course is concerned, let me make it clear that we are going to contest on all 90 assembly seats,” Dushyant, grandson of INLD president and former chief minister Om Prakash Chautala, had said in Sirsa.

Seen as a major challenger to the ruling BJP until a year ago, the INLD has been going through rough times. With barely over a month left for the Haryana assembly polls, most of its legislators have switched over to the BJP.

The Chautala family feud has continued to play out in the public despite the INLD’s split.

(With inputs from PTI)