The election to two Rajya Sabha seats from Haryana scheduled for July 10 has acquired political overtones with the Congress fielding senior leader and former Finance Minister Birender Singh and the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) giving the party nomination to Ranbir Singh Gangwa, who belongs to the Backward Classes.
Interestingly, political watchers said that the decision of INLD supremo and former Chief Minister Om Parkash Chautala had come as a surprise as it was being expected that sitting Rajya Sabha member Tarlochan Singh, a Punjabi Sikh, would be retained as per the party's known strategy of projecting itself as a “well-wisher of the minorities.''
The two seats had become vacant after INLD secretary-general Ajay Singh Chautala resigned last year on being elected MLA and Mr. Singh's term expired. It is being said that the Congress and the INLD are likely to win the seats given the strength of the parties in the Vidhan Sabha.
It may be recalled that Mr.Chautala had defeated Mr.Birender Singh in the 2009 Assembly polls from Uchana Kalan with a narrow margin of 600-odd votes. Mr. Birender Singh had made it quite clear in the run-up to the Assembly polls that he was also an aspirant for Chief Ministership if the Congress retained power.
Interestingly, the INLD nominee had contested the recent Assembly polls against former Haryana Finance Minister Sampat Singh who had left the INLD and joined the Congress last year.
According to political observers, Mr.Birender Singh, who was accommodated by the Congress High Command in the Coordination Committee set up after the elections to coordinate between the party and the State Government, had been openly aspiring for the Rajya Sabha seat as part of an “honourable rehabilitation.''
Even though several leaders close to Mr.Hooda, including Haryana Congress unit chief Phool Chand Mullana and Ranjit Singh, a son of the late Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal, were also interested in the ticket, insiders said that the matter was clinched after the Chief Minister personally recommended Mr.Birender Singh's name.
