Hisar: It's perhaps one of the most closely-watched by-elections in recent times. After Team Anna's high-decibel campaign against the Congress, results for the by-poll on Hisar Lok Sabha seat will be known today.
The election and the subsequent outcome have been significant in that it saw Anna Hazare and his associates' first tryst with electoral politics. Even though Mr Hazare wasn't physically present in Hisar, he sent out a tough video message, urging people to vote against the Congress for not bringing in the Jan Lokpal Bill (Citizens' Ombudsman Bill). Civil society activists led by Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi launched an aggressive and extensive anti-Congress campaign, dubbing it as a "government of the corrupt".
Team Anna's move immediately withdrew sharp reactions from the Congress with the party accusing the veteran Gandhian of inadvertently benefitting its political rivals in the polls. The two front-runners in the electoral race hail from heavyweight political families - one is the son of Om Prakash Chautala, the other's father is former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal, who was Hisar's MP till he died in June.
Congress General Secretary Digvijaya Singh, in fact, had written an open letter to Mr Hazare saying, ""Are you not aware of the history of the family of late Bhajan Lal? Are you not acquainted with the history of Chautala family? Are you oblivious of the fact that there were cases of corruption pending against them in courts?"
Mr Singh further said that people close to the veteran Gandhian were exploiting his image for their gain.
The by-poll held on October 13 had witnessed a turnout of nearly 70 per cent. It was necessitated after Bhajan Lal of the Haryana Janhit Congress Party died in June while still serving his term. His son, Kuldeep Bishnoi, is the candidate for the Haryana Janhit Congress, and is supported by the BJP. He faces stiff competition from Ajay Chautala of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), whose father Om Prakash Chautala has served as the state's chief minister. The Congress has chosen as its candidate Jai Prakash. He was placed third in the elections for the same Lok Sabha seat in 2009, but enjoys the confidence of Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.
Hence, more than the Congress' fortunes, the results in the Hisar by-poll would be a litmus test for Team Anna and its impact on the ordinary voter.
The election and the subsequent outcome have been significant in that it saw Anna Hazare and his associates' first tryst with electoral politics. Even though Mr Hazare wasn't physically present in Hisar, he sent out a tough video message, urging people to vote against the Congress for not bringing in the Jan Lokpal Bill (Citizens' Ombudsman Bill). Civil society activists led by Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi launched an aggressive and extensive anti-Congress campaign, dubbing it as a "government of the corrupt".
Team Anna's move immediately withdrew sharp reactions from the Congress with the party accusing the veteran Gandhian of inadvertently benefitting its political rivals in the polls. The two front-runners in the electoral race hail from heavyweight political families - one is the son of Om Prakash Chautala, the other's father is former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal, who was Hisar's MP till he died in June.
Congress General Secretary Digvijaya Singh, in fact, had written an open letter to Mr Hazare saying, ""Are you not aware of the history of the family of late Bhajan Lal? Are you not acquainted with the history of Chautala family? Are you oblivious of the fact that there were cases of corruption pending against them in courts?"
Mr Singh further said that people close to the veteran Gandhian were exploiting his image for their gain.
The by-poll held on October 13 had witnessed a turnout of nearly 70 per cent. It was necessitated after Bhajan Lal of the Haryana Janhit Congress Party died in June while still serving his term. His son, Kuldeep Bishnoi, is the candidate for the Haryana Janhit Congress, and is supported by the BJP. He faces stiff competition from Ajay Chautala of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), whose father Om Prakash Chautala has served as the state's chief minister. The Congress has chosen as its candidate Jai Prakash. He was placed third in the elections for the same Lok Sabha seat in 2009, but enjoys the confidence of Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.
Hence, more than the Congress' fortunes, the results in the Hisar by-poll would be a litmus test for Team Anna and its impact on the ordinary voter.
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