Hisar bypolls: Kuldeep Bishnoi leading, Ajay Chautala of INLD at second place

HISAR: Haryana Janhit Congress( HJC)-BJP alliance candidate Kuldeep Bishnoi is leading over his nearest rival Ajay Chautala of INLD by over 29,041 votes after seven rounds of counting for the by-polls to the Hisar Lok Sabha seat.

Bishnoi, son of former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal, has so far got 1,56,049 votes, while Ajay Chautala, son of former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, is placed second with a tally of 1,27,008 votes, the election office said here.

Ruling Congress candidate Jai Parkash is at the third spot with just 56,530 votes.

Out of the total nine Assembly segments, Bishnoi and Chautala are locked in a close contest in three segments - Uklana, Hansi and Bawani Khera.

In the rest of the assembly segments, Bishnoi is far ahead of Chautala.

Team Anna member Devinder Sharma said the results will open in new chapter in the electoral politics of the country.

"This time a common issue - corruption - came out as the major trendsetter and the issue is apolitical," he said, adding the Anna factor will have a bearing on the results.

Speaking to reporters, Bishnoi said, "If I win by God's grace, it will be basically because of my father and family's track record. We have done a lot for Hisar".

Jai Prakash said Team Anna's campaign has no impact here. "Results will show that in a while," he said.

Chautala said, "It is just the counting which is left otherwise I have already won".

The results should be out by 2 PM, Haryana's Chief Electoral Officer Sumita Misra said.

The bypoll held on October 13 had witnessed a turnout of nearly 69 per cent with the Anna factor raising the stakes for the Congress in a triangular fight.

The polling was necessitated due to the death of sitting MP Bhajan Lal of Haryana Janhit Congress in June.

The outcome of polls will decide the electoral fortune of Jai Prakash (Congress), Kuldeep Bishnoi (HJC-BJP) and Ajay Singh Chautala (INLD).

There were in all 40 candidates, mostly independents, in the fray.