Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today released its second list of candidates for the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections, adding 21 more names to the slate. With this, the party has announced 87 candidates out of the 90 seats. Among the most notable matchups, the BJP has fielded Captain Yogesh Bairagi to contest against Olympian Vinesh Phogat, who is running on a Congress ticket from the Julana constituency.
In its first list, comprising 67 candidates, the BJP confirmed Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini’s candidacy from Karnal and moved him to the Ladwa seat. Saini previously served as the MP for Kurukshetra from 2019 to 2024. The BJP also fielded prominent leaders such as Om Prakash Dhankar, the former state BJP president and current national secretary, who will contest from Badli. Another key candidate is Anil Vij, a veteran party leader and former state minister, who will compete from his long-held stronghold of Ambala Cantt.
BJP Rewards Party Switchers
Several political figures who recently switched sides to the BJP have been rewarded with tickets. Devender Singh Babli, a former member of the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), will contest from Tohana, while Shruti Choudhry, a recent entrant and the granddaughter of former Haryana Chief Minister Bansi Lal, will run from Tosham. The daughter of Union Minister Rao Inderjit Singh, Aarti Singh Rao, has also been fielded for the Ateli seat, further strengthening the party’s presence in South Haryana.
Polls and Election Dates
With the Haryana Assembly polls scheduled for October 5, the BJP is aiming for a third consecutive term in the state, but faces stiff competition from a resurgent Congress. The counting of votes is set to take place on October 8.
As the political landscape in Haryana heats up, the BJP hopes its strategic candidate selections will secure another victory in this fiercely contested election.