17 candidates file nomination papers for Haryana polls

Chandigarh, Sep 22: Seventeen candidates on Monday filed their nomination papers for the October 15 Haryana Assembly elections.

With this, a total of 22 candidates have so far filed their nomination papers, Haryana Chief Electoral Officer Shrikant Walgad said today. Yesterday, the first day of filing nominations, five candidates filed their papers. Among the candidates who filed nominations today are Independents Manoj Kumar from Ambala City, Lal Singh and Jai Chand Chauhan from Jagadhari.

National Jan Shakti Party candidate Ramnik Singh filed nominations from Ladwa Assembly constituency in Kurukshetra district while Socialist Unity Centre of India Communist (SUCIC) Party's Mahavir Singh submitted papers from Pundri seat in Kaithal, and SUCIC's Harish from Rohtak. Independent candidate Attar Lal filed nominations from Ateli Assembly constituency in Mahendergarh district.

Walgad said that the last date for filing nomination papers is September 27 and the candidates could file their nomination papers between 11 am and 3 pm. The scrutiny of nomination papers would be carried out on September 29 and candidates would be able to withdraw their candidature by October 1.

Polling will be held on October 15 and counting would be held on October 19. About 1.61 crore voters would cast their votes at 16,244 polling stations to be set up in the state. In the last Assembly elections, Congress won 40 seats, INLD 31, BJP 4, HJC-BL 6, SAD and BSP one each and Independents seven.

Though Bhupinder Singh Hooda had failed to lead the Congress to a majority in 2009, Congress formed the government for the second term with the support of five of the six HJC-BL members and seven Independents.

Haryana is set to witness a multi-corner contest with key players Congress, BJP, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), Haryana Lokhit Party (HLP), BSP, Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC)-Jan Chetna Manch (JCM) alliance all set to cross swords in the battle of ballots.

PTI