Haryana: As Jind goes to poll on Monday, parties hope for best outcome

JIND: As Haryana's Jind Assembly constituency is set to go to bypoll on Monday, parties are keeping their fingers crossed over the results of by-election because the electorates will not only elect their legislator in Monday's bypoll but will also reflect their mood about the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Jind constituency has a total of 1.7 lakh registered voters, out of which around 50% are of Scheduled Castes and backward classes and Jats make up around 25% of electorates in the constituency.

All major political parties in Haryana - Bharatiya Janata Party, the Congress, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and the newly formed Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) - have fielded their candidates in this bypoll.

"The Congress will win this seat. We have made our best effort," Congress candidate Randeep Surjewala told IANS. It is to be noted that Surjewala is Congress' candidate from this seat. Experts maintain that Surjewala's entry has suddenly made the bypoll a high-stakes battle.

For his part, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar is confident that the ruling BJP will win the seat convincingly. "The BJP will win the seat with a big margin," Khattar was quoted as saying by IANS.

Jind seat was won by INLD in 2014 Assembly polls and the party is hoping for the same result this time too but INLD leaders are aware of the fact that the JJP will cut into its votes. Umed Singh is INLD's candidate from this seat, while the JJP has fielded Digvijay Chautala. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has decided to support the JJP nominee.

The seat fell vacant after the death of sitting INLD MLA Hari Chand Middha in August. BJP has given ticket to his son. Counting of votes will take place on January 31.

(with agency inputs)