2 BJP, lone Cong candidate file papers for 3 RS seats

For the three seats of the Rajya Sabha from Haryana, state ruling BJP candidates Dushyant Kumar Gautam and Ram Chander Jangra and Congress candidate Deepender Hooda filed nomination here on Friday.

The Congress has decided to field former state Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda's son Deepender Hooda for the Upper house, while the BJP has fielded both Gautam and Jangra.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar along with Cabinet colleagues was accompanying both the candidates, Hooda along with his party legislators were present at the time of nomination filing by Deepender Hooda.

However, Congress state chief Kumari Selja was conspicuously absent. She was the frontrunner to get her renomination along with party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala.

The three-time MP from Rohtak, Deepender Hooda faced a defeat in the last Lok Sabha polls.

In the 90-member Assembly, the BJP-JJP alliance has 50 legislators with the support of six of the seven Independents.

The opposition Congress has 31 members. The INLD has one member while one legislator belongs to the Haryana Lokhit Party.

If all goes as per plan, the BJP is likely to get two seats (one for full term and a bypoll seat) while the Congress would be able to retain the seat vacated by Selja. IANS