)
Following the revolt within the Congress in Haryana, senior party leader Chaudhary Birender Singh on Saturday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Singh had recently been suspended from the Congress, along with another senior member, Jagmeet Singh Brar from Punjab. Both had spoken against the party leadership, particularly vice-president Rahul Gandhi.
Earlier, Singh had revolted against Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s chief ministership, saying he wouldn’t fight the coming polls in Haryana under the chief minister. Singh alleged Hooda focused on his constituency Rohtak alone, neglecting the rest of the state.
Singh joined the BJP in the presence of party president Amit Shah, at a rally in Jind. Singh’s close aide Jagbir Malik, as well as a few former MLAs, also joined the party. “The path I have chosen for myself will help strengthen the BJP in Haryana in the next 15 years,” Singh said.
The Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee denied Singh’s exit would impact the party’s electoral prospects. State party chief Ashok Tanwar said, “Winnability is a key factor in the allocation of tickets...The Congress in Haryana has no dearth of such aspirants.”
