Fearing that its MLAs might be lured into voting during Rajya Sabha polls, Congress high command continued to woo its Adampur MLA Kuldeep Bishnoi who had recently appealed the party legislators to vote as per their own choice and understanding. Bishnoi had also skipped the nomination filing process of party’s official candidate Ajay Maken in Haryana, raising anxieties.
With the party facing tough fight in Rajya Sabha elections in Haryana, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and newly-elected Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Shukla have been appointed as observers for Haryana, where the entry of media baron Kartikeya Sharma as independent, backed by the BJP and JJP, has created trouble for Congress nominee Maken.
Congress sources said that Bishnoi has been pacified as the leadership reached out to him. Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is said to have personally spoken to Bishnoi, who has been keeping his cards close to the chest.
In Haryana, Congress has 31 MLAs and has adequate votes on paper to get Maken elected. However, with the BJP agreeing to transfer its excess votes to Sharma and if he manages to wean away two-three Congress MLAs, it would be trouble for Maken.
Moreover, fearing horse-trading of MLAs allegedly by the BJP ahead of the crucial Rajya Sabha polls, Haryana Congress legislators are being hosted and toasted by the party high command at a resort in Raipur, in the party-ruled Chhattisgarh under the careful eye of Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Hooda and state party in-charge Vivek Basal.
BJP candidate Krishan Lal Panwar and senior Congress leader Maken have filed their nomination papers from Haryana for the Rajya Sabha elections. Kartikeya Sharma, the son of former Congress leader Venod Sharma and Ambala Mayor Shakti Rani Sharma, has also filed his nomination as an independent candidate.
Congress is in a state of panic in Haryana after Kartikeya Sharma filed his nomination papers as an Independent candidate for a Rajya Sabha seat from Haryana.
In the 90-member Haryana assembly, the first winner needs 31 votes and the second 30, with Maken counting on all 31 Congress MLAs, including Bishnoi. Congress sources said that Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Hooda was assigned the responsibility to keep all the MLAs together and away from any influence that Kartikeya Sharma may exercise upon them. Kartikeya’s father Venod Sharma, although expelled from Congress in 2014, holds strong ties with several Congress leaders of Haryana.
Haryana Congress chief Uday Bhan said: “Those who had sought votes from people of the state against the BJP-JJP coalition should definitely vote against them. MLAs like INLD’s Abhay Chautala and Independent MLA Balraj Kundu are the ones whom people are closely watching. Both had been openly opposing the BJP-JJP coalition government. They should clarify their stand.”
The JJP has expressed support to Kartikeya. Nine BJP MLAs, and many independent MLAs may also support Kartikeya. Maken is reportedly locked in a tough contest against independent Kartikeya Sharma. Maken needs 31 votes to win the seat. If all of them vote for Maken, he will win; but if some of the MLAs cross-vote, he may lose.
Moreover, former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Sunday expressed confidence that there would be no cross-voting. “No MLA can afford the same if he or she wants to remain in the party. We will have party observers, and we have the numbers and are comfortable. The party high command’s decision is supreme and everybody should follow it,” he added.
In the 90-member Assembly, the BJP has 40 MLAs, the Congress 31, the JJP 10, while there are seven Independents and one MLA each from the INLD and the Haryana Lokhit Party.