By IANS,
Hisar (Haryana) : The Lok Sabha by-election in Hisar Thursday has evoked nationwide interest due to the campaign by Anna Hazare and his team to defeat the Congress and a triangular fight among the leading political players of Haryana.
The contest is primarily between the Congress, the opposition Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and the Haryana Janhit Congress-Bharatiya Janata Party combine.
Team Anna’s anti-Congress campaign has queered the pitch for the ruling party in the election, giving it a national colour.
The stakes are high for the political parties contesting the by-poll as it comes almost in the middle of the term of the present assembly.
The election is crucial for Kuldeep Bishnoi of the HJC who has staked claim to political legacy of his father, former chief minister Bhajan Lal. Bishnoi’s party tied up with the BJP ahead of the election to boost his prospects. The seat fell vacant due to demise of Bhajan Lal in June this year.
The INLD, which is the main opposition party of the state, has fielded former MP Ajay Chautala, son of party supremo Om Prakash Chautala. The party has lost two successive assembly polls in the state and could not secure a single seat in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. The party is keen to have its presence at least now in the present Lok Sabha.
The Congress has fielded former MP Jai Prakash and its poll effort has been led by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. Party sources said Hooda extensively campaigned in the constituency for over 10 days to boost the prospects of the party candidate.
Local issues like water, electricity, unemployment and fertiliser prices have taken a backseat in the poll with Team Anna’s campaign against corruption and price-rise coming to the fore.
Arvind Kejriwal and some other members of Team Anna addressed a series of meetings in Hisar, urging voters not to support the Congress so that it is forced to pass the Jan Lokpal bill in the winter session of parliament.
Congress leaders also took on Team Hazare, raising questions over the social activist being backed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in his campaign on issues of corruption.
Party general secretary Digvijay Singh wrote to Hazare, asking him to ponder over his association with “Congress opponents.”
Supporters of Baba Ramdev also campaigned in Hisar, reminding voters of the midnight crackdown on the yoga guru’s camp by Delhi Police in June.
According to the data compiled by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), Kuldeep Bishnoi is the richest candidate in the fray with a net worth of over Rs.48.85 crore. Ajay Singh Chautala has assets worth over Rs.40 crore while Jai Prakash has assets worth Rs.3.16 crore.
The results of the by-poll would be declared on Oct 17. There are many Independents in the fray also.