The Congress is banking on AICC president Sonia Gandhi and general secretary Rahul Gandhi to help boost its chances in at least three key constituencies of the state - Hisar, Ambala and Sirsa, where it finds itself on comparatively weaker wickets in the Lok Sabha polls.
Sitting MP Jai Prakash, sitting MP Selja and a newcomer, Ashok Tanwar, president of the Youth Congress, are the respective candidates of the party from these constituencies respectively. Sonia Gandhi will hold election rallies in Hansi and Ambala on April 30. Party candidates and leaders of Hisar, Sirsa, Rohtak, Sonepat and Bhiwani-Mahendragarh constituencies will participate in the rally at Hansi.
Even Congressmen acknowledge that former chief minister Bhajan Lal of Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) is the strongest candidate in the Hisar Parliamentary constituency. BJP MLA Ram Kumar Gautam’s resignation from the party may indirectly help the Congress, as Gautam is considered is considered close to Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.
In Ambala, Selja has been facing people’s ire, and so far has got only a lukewarm response from the public during her election rallies. Sources say there is anger among the people since she did not pay attention to the people and their issues during her term as MP from Ambala.
The traders of the Kalka-Pinjore region too are angry with her for not having protected them from the recent demolition drive carried out for widening the road. In Sirsa, Ashok Tanwar may Rahul Gandhi’s choice, but he has been levelled an outsider by the locals. Considered the Chautala family’s stronghold, Tanwar is facing a tough time facing INLD’s sitting MLA Dr Sitaram.
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