Lawyer RK Anand filed his nomination papers as an Independent candidate. (File photo)
Media baron Subhash Chandra and lawyer RK Anand today filed their nomination papers as Independent candidates for the second Rajya Sabha seat falling vacant from Haryana.
The biennial elections to the Upper House are scheduled to be held on June 11 and today is the last date for filing nomination.
While Mr Chandra claimed to have garnered support from the ruling BJP and some legislators cutting across party lines, main opposition Indian National Lok Dal threw its weight behind Mr Anand, who has fought Lok Sabha election in the past as an INLD candidate.
However, Mr Anand at present is not a member of INLD, a party leader said.
Union Minister and BJP leader Birender Singh had yesterday filed nomination papers for the Upper House polls from Haryana.
Asked about the candidate for the second Rajya Sabha seat, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had yesterday said, "Efforts are on with regard to the candidate. We (INLD and BJP) are hopeful that we can have a consensus. I want that both candidates should be elected unopposed."
However, today's development has changed the equation.
The decision of INLD, which is accused by Congress of being BJP's 'B' team to back Mr Anand, has made the contest an interesting one.
While Mr Anand was accompanied by the Leader of the Opposition in the Haryana Assembly Abhay Chautala (INLD) along with other party legislators for filing his nomination, Mr Chandra went with some BJP and Independent legislators for filing the papers.
Mr Chandra told reporters that he had sought support from members of the Haryana Assembly cutting across party lines.
"I have got support from many members. Independent members have given their support, BJP too has given its support. I am hopeful that I will get support from other parties as well," he said.
On if his candidature would be weakened if opposition parties, including Congress, do not lend support to him and INLD decides to back Mr Anand, Mr Chandra said, "Look, you think that way. I have got support of BSP and other members as well. I have the support of MLAs of different parties."
To a question if in the event of voting Congress and other opposition legislators would support him, Mr Chandra said, "I don't know what they will do. But MLAs will vote in numbers for me and I will win comfortably."
The two seats currently occupied by Union ministers Birender Singh and Suresh Prabhu, are falling vacant on August 1. They were elected following by-elections held in 2014.
Mr Prabhu has been nominated from Andhra Pradesh.
BJP does not have adequate numbers to get two candidates elected from Haryana.
At present, BJP has 47 legislators in the 90-member Haryana Assembly, INLD has 19, Congress 17 (Kuldeep Bishnoi's 2-member HJC merged with Congress recently), BSP 1 and SAD 1. There are 5 Independents.