Chandigarh, Sep 16 (IANS): In a tactical move ahead of the Assembly elections in Haryana slated on October 5, the ruling BJP withdrew its candidate from Sirsa seat, Rohtash Jangra, on Monday, indicating that the party is likely to extend support to Haryana Lokhit Party chief and sitting legislator Gopal Kanda.

The Om Prakash Chautala-led Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), which is contesting the elections in the state in alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), has already extended support to Kanda by not fielding any candidate for the seat.

Kanda, the party’s lone legislator in the now-dissolved Assembly, has extended support to the BJP government from 2019 to 2024.

Earlier, talks between the BJP leadership and Kanda were held but couldn’t materialise amid reports that he was asking for at least 15 seats in the House of 90.

In 2021, Kanda’s brother Govind joined the BJP and was fielded as a candidate for the Ellenabad bypoll necessitated after sitting legislator Abhay Chautala had resigned in support of farmers protesting against the three farm legislations. Chautala contested the bypolls and retained the seat.

Kanda was once a close aide of the Chautalas when he began his political career.

In 2009, Kanda contested as an Independent from Sirsa and won the election. Later he extended support to the Congress led by Bhupinder Hooda as his government fell short of a majority and got the Home portfolio.

He resigned as minister in August 2012, when he was booked on charges of abetment of suicide in the case of Geetika Sharma who worked at his aviation firm MDLR Airlines.

Geetika, a former air hostess, was found dead in her Delhi residence in 2012. In her suicide note, she alleged “harassment” by Kanda and Aruna Chadha, another accused, who was acquitted in the suicide case.

In July last year, a Delhi court acquitted Kanda of all charges, including abetment of suicide, criminal conspiracy, destruction of evidence and forgery.