In Haryana, BJP bets big on turncoats

The BJP has fielded at least two other leaders who quit the Congress recently and joined the BJP on the eve of the elections. They are Dharambir Singh for the Bhiwani-Mahendergarh seat and Ramesh Kaushik for the Sonipat seat.

Dharambir was chief parliamentary secretary (CPS) in the Hooda government till earlier this month. He quit the government and as Congress legislator and is now a BJP candidate.

Another turncoat fielded by the BJP is Raj Kumar Saini for the Kurukshetra seat. Saini was a minister in the Haryana Vikas Party (HVP) government headed by then chief minister Bansi Lal (1996-99).

For the Karnal Lok Sabha seat, the BJP has fielded a political greenhorn Ashwini Chopra `Minna'. He is a leading vernacular newspaper owner based in Delhi.

From its own ranks, the BJP has fielded Krishan Pal Gurjar from Faridabad, farmers' leader Om Prakash Dhankar from Rohtak and old war-horse Rattan Lal Kataria for the Ambala reserved seat.