Will leave BJP if not fielded from Rania, says Haryana power minister
Ranjit Chautala is upset after Sirsa MLA Gopal Kanda, who heads the Haryana Lokhit Party, declared his nephew Dhawal Kanda as his party’s candidate from the Rania seat amid talks of a pre-poll alliance of his party with the BJP.
Haryana power minister Ranjit Singh Chautala on Tuesday asked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to field him from the Rania assembly seat in Sirsa for the assembly polls, warning that he will part ways with the saffron party otherwise.
Former deputy prime minister Devi Lal’s son, Ranjit Chautala, who won the 2019 assembly polls as an independent from Rania, is upset after Sirsa MLA Gopal Kanda, who heads the Haryana Lokhit Party (HLP), declared his nephew Dhawal Kanda as his party’s candidate from the Rania seat amid talks of a pre-poll alliance of his party with the BJP. Ranjit had already announced to contest from Rania on BJP’s ticket.
Addressing reporters in Rania, Ranjit Chautala said, “I have vote bank in all 90 assembly seats. I will contest the assembly polls from Rania with or without BJP. Last time too the people reposed faith in me.”
On being asked about his joining the Congress as he enjoys close proximity to former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Ranjit said that anything can happen in politics and he will leave the BJP if denied ticket.
Ranjit, an independent MLA from Rania, is power and jails minister in Nayab Singh Saini-led BJP government. He unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha polls on BJP’s ticket from Hisar.
Reacting to the development, Kanda said Ranjit has no vote bank in any of 90 assembly segments in Haryana. “Ranjit had lost the Hisar parliamentary seat which could have been easily won by the BJP. Last time Ranjit won from Rania because his nephews Ajay Chautala of the JJP and his younger brother Abhay of the INLD supported him. The HLP will win this seat this time,” he added.
Earlier this month, CM Nayab Saini announced that the BJP will fight the assembly polls in alliance with Kanda’s HLP.
Addressing a gathering in Rania on Monday, Ranjit had claimed that he will contest the upcoming assembly polls from Rania on BJP’s ticket and the saffron party will give only Sirsa assembly seat to Gopal Kanda in alliance. “Gopal Kanda has no influence in Sirsa. He will face defeat in the assembly polls. I had spoken to senior BJP leaders who told me that the party will give only the Sirsa assembly seat to Gopal Kanda,” he had added.