Chandigarh: Dr Subhash Chandra, Chairman, ZEE and Essel Group, on Tuesday filed his nomination papers as an Independent candidate 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 was the last date for filing nominations.
On the other hand, Indian National Lok Dal threw its weight behind lawyer RK Anand, who has fought Lok Sabha election in the past as an INLD candidate.
However, Anand at present is not a member of INLD, a party leader said.
Dr Chandra went with some BJP and Independent MLAs to file the nomination papers.
The Essel Group Chairman told reporters - "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."
Asked if his candidature would be weakened if Opposition parties, including Congress, do not lend support to him and INLD decides to back Anand, Dr 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."
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. Prabhu has been nominated from Andhra Pradesh.
At present, BJP has 47 MLAs 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.
(With PTI inputs)
