The Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) and its alliance partner Azad Samaj Party on Wednesday released the first list of 19 party candidates for the upcoming Haryana Assembly polls. Former Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala will contest from Uchana Kalan, the seat he won in 2019. The JJP has announced 15 candidates, while four candidates have been named by the Chandra Shekhar Azad-led ASP.
JJP's Amarjeet Dhanda will seek re-election from the Julana assembly segment, while Dushyant's brother and senior leader Digvijay Singh Chautala will contest from Dabwali. The JJP is headed by Dushyant and Digvijay's father and former MP Ajay Singh Chautala.
The JJP, which broke its alliance with the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, has not named its candidate from Badhra where Dushyant's mother Naina Chautala is the sitting MLA. Former legislator Rajbir Phogat will contest from Charkhi Dadri.
JJP and Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) recently announced their alliance for Haryana. As per the deal, JJP will contest 70 of the 90 Assembly seats, while the Azad Samaj Party will contest 20 seats. In the first list, JJP also named its candidates for Gohana, Bawal, Mulana, Radaur, Gulha, Jind, Nalwa, Tosham, Beri, Ateli, and Hodal.
ASP has announced candidates for Sadhaura, Jagadhri, Sohna, and Palwal constituencies in the first list.
In the 2019 assembly polls, Dushyant Chautala defeated Prem Lata, the wife of veteran leader Birender Singh who was with the BJP at that time. Former Union minister Birender Singh, who is now in Congress, is likely to get the ticket in Uchana. Birender Singh has won the Uchana seat on five occasions while his wife Prem Lata won it in 2014. Birendra Singh's son Brijendra Singh, who is an ex-MP from Hisar, is also now in the Congress.
Meanwhile, the BJP today released its first list of 67 of 90 candidates, fielding chief minister Nayab Singh Saini from Ladwa. The Congress, which is in talks with the AAP for an alliance, has yet to release its candidate list.
(With inputs from PTI)