With the Bharatiya Janata Party facing resentment from leaders denied party tickets, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday said that they are trying to persuade them to support the party nominees.
Those who have rebelled against the party are Randhir Kapriwas (Rewari) and Gurgaon legislator Umesh Aggarwal, who has fielded his wife Anita as an independent candidate. There are a few other seats too where leaders of the BJP may not have entered the contest but are expressing resentment against the candidates who have been allocated party tickets.
Umesh Aggarwal, who has not been on good terms with Chief Minister Manohar Lal was replaced by Sudhir Singla while Randhir Kapriwas was replaced by Sunil Musepur by the BJP.
The last date for the withdrawal of nominations is October 7. The state will go to assembly elections on October 21.
Of the 48 MLAs, the BJP has denied tickets to 12, including Cabinet Ministers Rao Narbir Singh and Vipul Goel. The saffron party has accommodated several turncoats, mostly from the Indian National Lok Dal.
Manohar Lal, while taking to the mediapersons in Rohtak said, “Out of 12 MLAs, only those from Gurgaon and Rewari are in the contest. We will try that they withdraw and support candidates fielded by the party.”
Responding to a question that the Congress has accused the State Government of only indulging “event management” and “failing” to fulfill the promises made to people in previous assembly polls, Manohar Lal said, “People will give them a reply in the polls".
“People know that we have far exceeded what we had promised in our poll manifesto. For instance, initiatives like Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao and making kerosene free in Haryana were not promised, but we did these things,” the Chief Minister said.
The government showed zero tolerance towards corruption, gave jobs on merit and undertook overall development, he added.
On speculations of Congress leader Prof Sampat Singh joining the BJP, Manohar Lal said, “He is a good person. If he joins, then we will let you know.”
Earlier speaking at a poll rally in Naraingarh in Ambala district, the Chief Minister said that the BJP Government had tried to bring about a change and clean up the system and as a result, those people who earlier used to hesitate in joining politics, thinking it was not a clean profession, are coming forward to be a part of the saffron party.
“Things have changed now and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has changed that culture,” he said.
Manohar Lal said the Modi government has lifted India’s stature across the world as the country always comes first for us, but the Congress can’t think beyond the Nehru-Gandhi family.
“When we say what should be given priority, we say country always comes first. On the other hand, Congress treats their leaders first… we say Bharat Mata Ki Jai, some in Congress say Sonia Mata Ki Jai,” he said.
The Congress cannot think outside the Nehru-Gandhi family, he said.
“Former Congress president (Rahul Gandhi) resigned (after the LS poll debacle) and asked that a new chief be made from outside the Gandhi family. They took a couple of months, but still they could not find anyone suitable outside this family and again made Sonia Gandhi their chief,” he added.
Besides Naraingarh, Manohar Lal also addressed election rallies in Pehowa and Radaur.