A total of 2,556 aspirants have applied for the Congress ticket for the 90-member Haryana Assembly polls slated for October 1. In comparison to the previous Assembly elections, the number of aspirants for Congress tickets has increased for the upcoming State Assembly elections.   The Congress party had won five of the 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana recently. The Lok Sabha poll results have led to a spurt in the number of aspirants for the Congress party tickets in the majority of the assembly segments in the State. State Congress president Udai Bhan has applied for Hodal and besides him, one more application has been received from there.   Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) media head Kewal Dhingra, talking to The Pioneer on Sunday, said that MLAs, former legislators, the kin of political stalwarts, advocates, doctors, retired bureaucrats, superannuated judges, teachers, besides a few journalists have applied for grand old partys nomination. The names of the candidates would be decided on the parameters set by the party, he added.   Dhingra further said that the last date to apply for the Congress ticket was August 10, 2024. The highest 88 applicants of the party are from Nilokheri (reserved) segment in Karnal district followed by 86 ticket seekers for Julana. Overwhelming response also indicates that the party is on a good wicket and this is also because the workers sense the party has a good chance of retaining power. It is indeed a positive and encouraging sign ahead of the Assembly election, he added.   Senior Congress leader further said that the Congress has got 743 applications for 17 reserved seats with an average of around 44 applications per seat while a total 1,813 aspirants have applied for the remaining 73 general seats with an average of around 25 applications per seat. Large number of women party workers has also applied for poll tickets. There was also good response for the SC reserved seats, he added.   On the other hand, sources in BJP said that the party is leaving no stone unturned to choose the right candidate for the upcoming Assembly election in the State. Party gives tickets to the right candidates in each constituency. Party also involves its leaders and ground workers in the candidate selection. Performance of local MLAs is being reviewed. Opinions of local people are also being taken in the selection of candidates. Additionally, the local party leaders and workers are asked to vote for the three most suitable candidates from their respective assembly segments. Finally, the results of the internal survey are used to identify the most favored candidates within the party as there are hundreds of ticket aspirants, he added.   Another Congress leader said that the party has received on an average 19 applications more in each constituency reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) than general ones. A total 17 out of 90 Assembly seats are reserved for the SCs.   The Congress had won seven seats, BJP five, JJP four while Independent candidate romped home victorious on one seat in 2019 Assembly elections.   The SC votes in a good number went in favour of the Congress in the recent Lok Sabha polls, which helped the party wrest five seats from the BJP. The Congress also clinched both reserved seats — Sirsa and Ambala — in the elections. Total 56 aspirants have applied for Shahabad (Kurukshetra), 57 for Uklana (Hisar), 45 for Guhla (Kaithal) and 44 for Narwana (Jind); while 78 aspirants had applied for the Congress ticket for Bawani Khera (Bhiwani), 52 for Bawal (Rewari), 42 for Pataudi (Gurugram), 38 for Ratia and two for Hodal (Palwal).   A total 88 applications received for Nilokheri (Karnal) being represented by an independent in the Vidhan Sabha was the highest not only in reserved category but also in the general category, he added.   He further said that as many as 55 aspirants have applied for Kalanaur (Rohtak), 54 for Kharkhoda (Sonepat), 46 for Mullana (Ambala), 33 for Israna (Panipat), 27 for Sadhaura (Yamunanagar), 14 for Kalawali (Sirsa) and 12 for Jhajjar.   Moreover, according to the list released by the HPCC, in Faridabad, the number of ticket seekers in the nine assembly segments in Faridabad and Palwal districts has been recorded at 106. The average number of aspirants has been over 11. This has been two to three times higher than the last time. While the highest number of 22 persons have registered for ticket in Faridabad segment (constituency number-89), the lowest number is two for Hodal (83), a SC reserved seat.   Prithla segment of Faridabad district and Hathin in Palwal are placed at the second spot with 20 applicants each. Ballabgarh segment has got as many as 14 applicants. With NIT having 10 applications, Badkhal and Tigaon have got eight and seven respectively.   Entry of three-time former MP Avtaar Singh Bhadana, who has sought a ticket from NIT, has made things interesting or difficult for the party high command, as Neeraj Sharma is sitting Congress MLA from here and is very close to former Chief MinisternHooda.   Talking to journalists, senior Congress leader Hooda recently said that the Congress party will give tickets to loyal, dedicated and winning candidates. Only one person will get a ticket on one Assembly seat and remaining aspirants will work to make the Partys candidate win, he added.

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