BJP releases 1st list for Haryana, retains 5 sitting MPs, fields state minister from Kurukshetra

The BJP has retained five sitting MPs and fielded a state minister in the first list of Lok Sabha candidates for Haryana announced Saturday. It has dropped its Karnal MP and fielded a former Indian Revenue Service officer from Sirsa.

The party has not yet announced candidates from Hisar and Rohtak seats, currently held by opposition INLD and Congress respectively. Haryana has 10 Lok Sabha constituencies. The BJP has retained its MPs from Gurugram (Rao Inderjit Singh), Faridabad (Krishanpal Gurjar), Ambala (Rattan Lal Kataria), Sonipat (Ramesh Chander Kaushik) and Bhiwani-Mahendergarh (Dharamvir Singh).

It has fielded Haryana minister Naib Singh Saini, who enjoys good rapport with Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, from Kurukshetra. Its sitting MP from Kurukshetra Raj Kumar Saini had turned rebel and floated his own outfit last year.

The party has dropped its Karnal MP Ashwani Kumar Chopra, who has been critical of the BJP leadership for some time, and fielded its state general secretary Sanjay Bhatia from there. Former Karnal MP Arvind Sharma, who recently joined the BJP, was a strong contender from the seat. He is said to be miffed with the party after his candidature was ignored.

From Sirsa (SC) seat, currently represented by opposition Indian National Lok Dal, BJP has fielded former IRS officer Suneeta Duggal. She has served as the chairperson of the Haryana Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation.

Former IPS officer V Kamaraja had thrown his hat in the ring from Sirsa for a BJP ticket. Out of 10 Lok Sabha seats, the ruling BJP has seven MPs. Polls for all the 10 seats in Haryana will be held on May 12.