With lok Sabha polls round the corner and the code of conduct already in force, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders are vying to get the party ticket to contest the election from the Rohtak seat which covers Rohtak and Jhajjar districts.
At least three BJP leaders are claiming the party ticket, with each standing good chance of getting the ticket. BJP’s national spokesman, Abhimanyu, national president of BJP Kisan Morcha, Om Prakash Dhankhar, and State vice-president, Naresh Malik, are the main contenders for the party ticket here.
Abhimanyu unsuccessfully contested the Rohtak seat in 2004 and 2005.
He was first defeated by Congress nominee Bhupinder Singh Hooda and then trounced by his son Deepender Hooda in a
by-poll held in 2005. He had also contested Assembly poll from Narnaud (Hisar) in 2009 but was rejected by the voters.
Party sources said Abhimanyu is also trying his best to get ticket from Sonepat seat on which Kishan Singh Sangwan won the poll contest twice on the party ticket. Besides Rohtak, his name has also been figured in the party’s ticket contender’s panel for Sonepat seat.
Naresh Malik, who is known for doling out huge donation for the social cause, has served as MlA from Hasangarh Assembly segment from 2005 to 2009 after facing a debacle as an Independent candidate in his debut poll in 2001. Malik had also contested Assembly poll from Bahadurgarh (Jhajjar) in 2009 but failed to get success. Om Prakash Dhankhar, state convener for Iron Collection Drive for statue of unity, is considered to be close to BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. He had begun his political carrier from ABVP and has served on various prestigious posts in the party organisation during last 18 years. Dhankhar, who lost the assembly poll from Dadri (Bhiwani) in 2009, has been active in raising the farmers’ issues prominently at national level.