Former Union Minister threatens to quit BJP over alliance with JJP in Haryana; hints at possible return to Congress

Birender Singh, former Union Steel Minister, threatened to quit BJP over its alliance with JJP in Haryana. He hinted at a possible return to Congress, citing respect he received in the party for four decades. He attacked JJP leader Dushyant Chautala for alleged corruption and advised BJP to go solo in the polls. He vowed to fight against those dividing people over caste and religion.

Former Union Steel Minister Birender Singh at a rally in Haryana’s Jind on October 2 threatened to quit Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over its alliance with the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) in the State and advised the saffron party to go solo in the polls scheduled for next year.

He also hinted at his possible return to Congress saying that he had “full respect” in the party while being with it for four decades. Late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi trusted and supported me more than any leader in Haryana, he added.

In a scathing attack on JJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala, Mr. Singh without naming him, at the rally “Meri Aawaz Suno (Listen To Me)“, said that people thought him to be Chaudhary Devi Lal’s incarnation, but he had cheated people like none other in the politics. He also attacked the JJP leader for alleged corruption saying that “people came to him saying that he sought 8-10% commission”.

“If the BJP is under the wrong notion that the JJP will win them votes, then let me tell them that they [the JJP leaders] themselves are not going to get any votes,” said Mr. Singh. He added that “it was in his DNA to speak his mind” and was the only BJP leader to support the farmers movement and the wrestlers agitation.

Though projected to be a non-political gathering, the rally was seen as an attempt by Mr. Singh to politically assert himself ahead of the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections next year with his family’s claim to Uchana Kalan assembly segment and Hisar Lok Sabha seat, currently held by his bureaucrat turned-politician son Brijendra Singh, seemingly under threat in case of a BJP-JJP alliance remaining intact.

Mr. Chautala, who contested and lost Hisar Lok Sabha election as JJP candidate in 2019, would be strong contender for the seat if the BJP contests the Lok Sabha polls in an alliance with his party. Similarly, Uchana Kalan assembly segment in Jind, the home turf of Mr. Singh, is currently represented by Mr. Chautala. He had defeated Mr. Singh’s wife Prem Lata in 2019 Vidhan Sabha polls and has already announced to contest the next assembly polls from Uchana Kalan.

Mr. Singh said he along with several other leaders, who had quit the Congress to join BJP in 2014, had contributed immensely to the party’s electoral success in Haryana. He also vowed to fight against those dividing people over caste and religion.