A day after the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released the first list of 67 candidates in the state for the October 5 assembly elections in Haryana, the ruling party faced rebellion on Thursday with several leaders expressing their disappointment over the list. BJP MLA Laxman Das Napa left the party and joined Congress. After quitting the party, Napa met former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda at his residence in the national capital.
Earlier in the day, Napa resigned from the primary membership of the BJP. The ruling party fielded its former Sirsa MP Sunita Duggal from Ratia Assembly Constituency for the upcoming Haryana Assembly Elections.
BJP faces rebellion ticket distribution
The BJP faced rebellion with minister Ranjit Singh Chautala and MLA Napa quitting party after being denied tickets for the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections.
Energy and Jails Minister Ranjit Chautala (79), son of former deputy prime minister Devi Lal, said he took a decision after a meeting with his supporters and will now enter the fray as an Independent.
Former minister Karan Dev Kamboj also stepped down as state BJP's OBC Morcha chief after party ignored his candidature. The rebel trouble for BJP started shortly after it came out with the first list of candidates as it left many sulking. Ranjit Chautala called a meeting of his supporters after the party ignored his candidature from Rania segment in Sirsa district.
"I took the decision after consulting my supporters," he said when asked about his move. "I had good relations with them (BJP). They gave me Lok Sabha ticket (from Hisar, which he fought unsuccessfully). But don't know on whose advice they have acted.
I will say anyone who has given them this advice has caused damage to the party," Chautala said.
"I am Chaudhary Devi Lal's son. I have some stature...I have decided to contest as an Independent," he said, while adding he has resigned as minister and quit the BJP.
Chautala was hoping to contest from Rania seat but the BJP fielded Shishpal Kamboj instead. Ranjit had resigned as Independent MLA from Rania ahead of the Lok Sabha polls to join the BJP and fought the Hisar parliamentary seat unsuccessfully.
Napa, sitting MLA from Ratia reserve constituency in Fatehabad district, said he served his constituency with full dedication and undertook development works. He said he does not know why the party denied him re-nomination from the assembly segment.
In another jolt to the BJP after it put out the first list of candidates, former minister Karan Dev Kamboj said he has resigned as state president of Haryana BJP's OBC Morcha and from all party posts he held.
Kamboj, who was also a ticket hopeful but did not get it, said he had been serving the party over the years with dedication.
"Perhaps the BJP does not need loyalists anymore," he said, adding the party is rewarding leaders with tickets who joined a day before while ignoring those who served it for years.
(With PTI inputs)
