The ruling BJP is gearing up to field popular faces in Haryana in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls 2019.
Amid speculations that the party may field cricketer Virender Sehwag to contest against three-time MP Deepender Singh Hooda in Rohtak parliamentary constituency, BJP Haryana chief Subhash Barala on Thursday said that celebrities have contested elections in the past and have also won it. But the party is yet to approach Sehwag for this, he said.
Cricketer Virender Sehwag, a Jat, is not a BJP member as of now. His candidature from the Rohtak seat was suggested by a party leader during a meeting held recently for discussing probable candidates for the polls.
Jat dominated Rohtak constituency, which is known as a stronghold of two-time former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had withstood the Modi wave and elected Congress’ Deepender Singh Hooda for the third consecutive time.He had won against BJP’s OP Dhankar, who is now a Cabinet Minister in Haryana Government.
After BJP’s victory in recent civic body polls in Rohtak and 2014 assembly seat win from Rohtak seat, the ruling party is looking to wrest the Congress’ bastion this time.
The party is also focusing on winning Sirsa and Hisar Lok Sabha seats, which was won by the INLD’s Dushyant Chautala and Charajeet Singh Rori respectively in 2014 polls.
In last general elections, the BJP had contested eight seats out of 10 and left Hissar and Sirsa to its alliance partner at that time, Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) of former CM Bhajan Lal’s son Kuldeep Bishnoi.
Barala also hinted at fielding current MLAs in the upcoming polls. “Big names would be fielded for the polls. Current MLAs are also under consideration for the party ticket,” Barala told mediapersons.