Congress candidate Pawan Beniwal and Indian National Lok Dal nominee Abhay Singh Chautala were among others who filed their nomination papers on Friday to contest bypoll to Ellenabad Assembly constituency in Sirsa district. October 8, Friday was the last day of filing nomination papers for the bypoll.
Congress nominee Pawan Beniwal was accompanied by State party chief Kumari Selja during filing his nomination papers. Former Chief Minister and leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda had also reached the election office later. INLD’s candidate Abhay Chautala also filed his nomination papers and exuded confidence to win the Ellenabad seat for the fourth time.
Abhay Chautala had resigned on January 27 from the Ellenabad constituency in support of ongoing farmers’ agitation against three central farm laws and necessitated the bypoll. While talking to the mediapersons, Abhay said that the INLD is confident of its victory on Ellenabad seat. People will teach a lesson to the
BJP-JJP Government in the byelection.
Congress will also face defeat in the bypoll as they are also responsible for three farm laws, he said. The INLD stands with the farmers while the anti-farmer face of BJP-JJP and Congress is exposed, he added.
A day before, BJP’s candidate Govind Kanda, who is the brother of Haryana Lokhit Party (HLP) founder Gopal Kanda had filed his nomination for the bypoll.
The bypoll is seen as a three-cornered electoral contest between BJP, Congress and INLD.
The polling will be held on October 30 while the result will be out on November 2.
The ongoing farmers’ protest across the state against three central farm laws will remain the key issue in the bypoll to Ellenabad, which is a rural assembly seat.
Notably, Ellenabad assembly seat has remained a Chautala clan stronghold. In 2009, OP Chautala won from this seat but in 2010, a bypoll was held which his younger son Abhay Chautala contested and won. Abhay has since then contested on INLD’s ticket and won the Ellenabad seat.