On penultimate day, Capt Abhimanyu, Surjewala among 475 file nomination

On the second-last day of filing papers for the state assembly polls, Haryana minister Captain Abhimanyu, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala and INLD's Abhay Singh Chautala were among the 475 candidates who filed their nominations today.

Chandigarh: Haryana minister Captain Abhimanyu, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala and INLD's Abhay Singh Chautala were among the 475 candidates who filed their nominations on Thursday, the penultimate day of filing papers for the state assembly polls.

Among others who filed their nominations were Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala, Haryana ministers Kavita Jain, O P Dhankar and ruling party candidate sportsperson-turned-politician Babita Phogat.

Joint Chief Electoral Officer Inder Jeet said that on the fourth day of filing papers, 475 nominations were filed in the 22 districts in the state.

A galaxy of senior BJP leaders accompanied party candidates in their respective constituencies when they filed their papers.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who already filed his nomination from Karnal, accompanied Captain Abhimanyu, who filed his papers from Narnaund constituency.

Barala was accompanied by Union minister Irani in Tohana where he filed his nomination. Senior party leader Vijay Goel accompanied Kavita Jain in Sonipat constituency, while Phogat filed her nomination from Dadri in the presence of Meenakshi Lekhi.

Union minister Narendra Tomar was present when O P Dhankar filed his nomination from Badli constituency.

Addressing a gathering of BJP supporters before Barala filed his nomination, Irani attacked the previous UPA and BS Hooda-led governments, alleging that both were known for corruption and scams.

She said the Narendra Modi government at the Centre and ML Khattar dispensation in Haryana were known for the development works undertaken by them.

She appealed to people to bring the BJP back in power in Haryana to continue the development works.

Meanwhile, Surjewala filed his nomination papers from the Kaithal constituency.

Addressing a group of supporters before filing the papers, he said unemployment, corruption, deterioration of law and order, and the problems faced by farmers and other sections were key issues in the polls.

Another senior Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi, who filed his nomination from Adampur, told reporters that the issues in Lok Sabha and assembly polls are different.

He was responding to a question on whether the BJP's performance in the state in the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year, during which it had swept all the 10 seats, would have a bearing in the upcoming assembly polls.

On BJP fielding actress Sonali Phogat against him, Bishnoi said, "She is welcome in Adampur. We will welcome her by offering 'halwa' and 'pudee' but she will not get votes here."

Meanwhile, INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala filed his nomination papers from Ellenabad.

Seventy candidates filed their nomination papers on Tuesday, the third day of filing of papers. Thirty-one nominations were filed on Monday and on the first day ten candidates had filed their papers.

The process of filing the nominations started on September 27 and will continue till October 4. Nomination papers were not filed on October 2 as it was a public holiday.

Polls to the 90-member Assembly will be held on October 21 while results will be declared on October 24.