Son of first RS member from Haryana, BJP rebel, INLD leader join Cong

AICC state in-charge Vivek Bansal and PCC chief Kumari Selja welcomed them into the party fold at a function held at Congress headquarters in New Delhi.

Bansal claimed that the winds are blowing in favour of the Congress and against the BJP in Haryana and hoped those who have joined will contribute in strengthening the party further.

Selja said these leaders “understand that the Congress is the only viable option to the BJP, which has proved to be a failure in all spheres of governance in Haryana”.

She alleged that the BJP has become a “paper leak government” as many examination papers were leaked in the state.

Welcoming the three leaders, Selja said the BJP, both at the Centre and Haryana, is “anti-farmer and anti-labourer”, and the Congress will work unitedly to oust this regime.

“It has been over nine months since farmers are out on the roads struggling for their legitimate demands. The government is not paying any attention towards them. People in Haryana are looking towards Congress with a hope. There are several more who want to join Congress party in Haryana,” she said, adding. “The BJP-JJP leadership is confined to their homes and offices. They cannot dare go among the people who had elected them”.

Of the three new joinees, Beniwal had quit the INLD ahead of 2014 Assembly polls and joined BJP. He had contested from Ellanabad in 2014 and 2019 on BJP ticket against INLD’s Abhay Chautala and lost both times. Now, Abhay has vacated the seat in support of ongoing farmers’ agitation and the Ellanabad constituency is due to for a bypoll in the coming months.

BJP had appointed Beniwal as chairman of Haryana Seed Development Corporation from 2016 till 2019. he, however, quit BJP in April this year as a mark of solidarity towards the farmers agitation. He is also likely to be named as Congress candidate for the Ellanabad bypoll.

Karanjit Singh, son of former Kurukshetra MP Tara Singh, had been associated with the Indian National Lok Dal for long.

Goyal said he was attracted by the policies of the Congress for upliftment of common people. He said it was like a home-coming for him as his grandfather, Jugal Kishore Goyal, was the first Rajya Sabha member from Haryana, and had worked closely with Jawaharlal Nehru.

Bansal said due to heavy rains in Haryana, several crops have suffered damage, and demanded adequate compensation for the farmers. He also deplored the language used by the Karnal SDM while ordering the lathi-charge on farmers protesting the three agri laws.