Chandigarh, The Akali Dal, an alliance partner of the BJP in Punjab and Delhi, on Thursday announced it will contest the October 21 Haryana Assembly elections with its previous alliance partner the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) on five out of 90 seats.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) announced to contest the Kalanwali, Ratia and Gulla Cheeka seats in alliance with the INLD. It is yet to announce which other two seats it will contest.
While Rajinder Singh Desujodha, a BJP turncoat, is the party candidate from Kalanwali, Kulwinder Singh Kunal will contest from Ratia and Raj Kumar Ravarjagir from Gulla Cheeka.
SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal was present at the time of filing of nomination papers for assembly constituency of Kalanwali.
The SAD President said the remaining seats which will be contested jointly with the INLD will be declared later.
“We have a long relation with the INLD. Last time also we contested the elections together,” Badal told the media in Kalanwali.
On the question of completion of the Sutlej Yamuna link (SYL) canal construction, which will provide water to Haryana from Punjab’s share, the former Deputy Chief Minister said every state has its own issues.
Badal said people of the constituency had reposed faith in the party for two consecutive terms in 2009 and 2014 and they would do so again this time too.
The assembly constituency, part of the Sirsa Lok Sabha constituency, is dominated by Punjabis, mainly the Sikhs.
The INLD on Wednesday announced its first list of 64 candidates. The list included 12 women candidates.
Chautala’s youngest son Abhay Chautala is seeking re-election from Ellenabad.
O.P. Chautala and his elder son Ajay Singh are barred from contesting after their sentencing and imprisonment in teachers’ recruitment case.
INLD’s breakaway faction Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), led by Dushyant Chautala, the son of Ajay Chautala, has already announced 72 candidates.
Dushyant Chautala, the youngest MP in the previous Lok Sabha, parted ways with the INLD in December 2018 after a bitter split in the Chautala family. He is fighting the election from Uchana Kalana.
The relation between the state ruling party BJP and the SAD were strained when the latter’s lone legislator Balkaur Singh switched over to the saffron party. He is now contesting as the BJP candidate from Kalanwali.
The SAD had extended unconditional support to the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections in the state and its leadership had said they would contest the Assembly polls in alliance with the BJP.
As per the alliance in 2014 Assembly polls in the state, the INLD contested from 88 out of the 90 seats. The SAD contested the Ambala city and Kalanwali seats.
Assembly elections in Haryana will take place on October 21. The last day for filing nomination is October 4 and the counting of ballots on October 24.
