Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini today made it clear there will be no change in the candidates’ list announced by the BJP for the assembly election scheduled on October 5.

The Chief Minister’s comment comes after the BJP announced its first list of 67 candidates, following which the party faced protests from minister Ranjit Singh Chautala and MLA Lakshman Dass Napa, who were not given tickets. Both have resigned.

Mr Saini said everyone should put to rest any speculation about tweaks in the candidates’ list. He said everyone wants a ticket, but the “lotus” can be given to only one person.

“It is natural for ticket-seekers to get angry. But they will be persuaded,” the Chief Minister said at a party meeting in Rohtak.

Haryana Energy and Jails Minister Ranjit Chautala, 79, son of former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal, said he took a decision after a meeting with his supporters and will now enter the contest as an iIndependent.

Former minister Karan Dev Kamboj also stepped down as the state BJP’s Other Backward Classes (OBC) Morcha chief after he did not get a ticket.

Despite Mr Saini’s attempt to downplay the events, former minister Savitri Jindal, who had quit the Congress and joined the BJP in March, days after her son and industrialist Naveen Jindal had also joined the BJP, said she will fight from Hisar, even as an independent.

After quitting the party, Mr Napa met former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda at his house in Delhi, and later joined the Congress.

“No one has left the party… Karan Dev Kamboj and Lakshman Napa are our senior leaders… we will make them understand,” Mr Saini said.

The BJP is aiming for a hat-trick in Haryana, but faces a tough challenge from a resurgent Congress which is looking to cash in on the anti-incumbency factor.

Mr Saini is the BJP’s chief ministerial face for the assembly polls. The counting of votes for the elections to the 90-member assembly will take place on October 8.

In Gurugram, after Mukesh Sharma was announced as BJP candidate, party leader and aspirant Naveen Goyal revolted and resigned. Mr Goyal, state convener of the BJP’s business cell and head of its environment protection department, has now decided to contest as an independent.

Along with him, more than 150 party officials and workers announced they are leaving the party.

Paralympics 2024 LIVE Updates: The men’s shot put F57 final is currently underway. India’s Soman Rana and Hokato Hotozhe Sema are the athletes competing in the event. Earlier, long jumper Praveen Kumar won India’s sixth gold medal at Paris Paralympics 2024 in the men’s T64 event. Praveen scripted a new Asian record with an attempt of 2.08m, which was also his best attempt of the event, on his way to the gold medal. Praveen took India’s medal tally to 26. (Medals Tally)

Here are the Live Updates of Paris 2024 Paralympic Games Day 9:

Congress and AAP’s talks for a Haryana alliance have stalled due to disagreements over seat allocation. AAP, keen on the partnership, is preparing to contest 50 seats independently. Congress is hesitant to leave more than 3-4 seats for AAP, fearing potential advantages for BJP if the alliance doesn’t work.