Denied ticket for assembly polls, Haryana MLA cries before supporters

CHANDIGARH: Emotionally charged over the denial of ticket by ruling BJP for the state assembly elections in Haryana, an outgoing MLA from Samalakha constituency of Panipat district, Ravinder Machrauli started crying on Monday before his supporters. Machrauli, who was elected as an independent MLA for 13th Haryana state assembly in 2014 assembly elections, was supporting BJP for the past 5 years. He had even joined BJP after the completion of the tenure of current state assembly and was front runner for the saffron party’s ticket from Samalakha. However, his name was missing from the list of candidates declared by BJP on Monday for the state assembly elections. BJP has fielded Shashikant Kaushik from Samalakha instead of Ravinder. Upset over denial of ticket, Machrauli called a meeting for his supporters on Tuesday where he could not control his emotions and started crying before them. Sources said that he may contest as an independent candidate. The last date of filling of nominations for Haryana assembly polls is October 4.