RS polls: 3 candidates in fray from Haryana

Chandigarh, Jun 10 () A keen contest is in store for BJP-backed media baron

Subhash Chandra

and INLD-supported lawyer

R K Anand

, who are in the fray as Independents, for the June 11 Rajya

Sabha

polls from Haryana, while it will be a comfortable ride for

Union

Minister

Birender Singh

. Polling for the two Rajya Sabha seats in Haryana will take place tomorrow,

Assembly

Secretary

R K Nandal

said. Congress, which has 17 members in the Assembly, has extended support to Anand. Chandra had said that he was in touch with individual MLAs in the 90-member Assembly and exuded confidence that he will have a comfortable victory. Both

Chandra

and Anand are vying for the second RS seat falling vacant from Haryana. At present, BJP has 47 MLAs in the 90-member Assembly, INLD has 19, Congress 17 (with Kuldeep Bishnoi's two-member HJC merging with the party recently), BSP 1, SAD 1 and 5 are Independents. While Union Minister Birender Singh is assured of a comfortable win owing to BJP's numbers in the

House

, Chandra still needs support of some INLD or Congress MLAs to ensure his victory. Apprehending that some of its MLAs may not toe the party line, especially after BJP-backed Chandra claimed support of at least two INLD MLAs, a dozen-odd legislators of the party were sent off to the hill station in

Uttarakhand

a few days ago. Lone BSP member has announced his support to the BJP-backed Chandra. BJP, with the support of five Independents and one BSP legislator, has the support of 52 MLAs in the 90-member House. It needs 31 votes to wrest the first seat but it does not have adequate numbers to get the second candidate elected. The two seats occupied by Union ministers Singh and Suresh Prabhu will fall vacant on August 1. Prabhu has been nominated from Andhra Pradesh. The two were elected in by-elections held in 2014. VJ SRY SMN