Haryana assembly election: 2 ex-MPs leave INLD for Congress

CHANDIGARH: Two former MPs defected the INLD to join the Congress on Tuesday and campaigned for the party’s Dabwali seat candidate, Amit Sihag.
INLD leader Charanjit Singh Rori and now-defunct Haryana Janhit Congress leader Sushil Kumar Indora joined the party during public meetings. While Rori joined the party at the grain market of Rori town, Indora joined it at Chautala village.Rori had represented Kalawali assembly seat from 2009 to 2014, and had been the MP from Sirsa from 2014 to 2019.
Both the ex-MPs are said to be close to the Chautalas. Indora had rejoined the INLD ahead of the party’s Gohana rally in 2018.
Soon after joining the campaign, Indora said Sihag would emerge as an alternate to Chautalas. Earlier, Dabwali seat was represented by Naina Chautala, who is now contesting from Badhra assembly constituency.
Rori said the change of guard in the Congress made him join the party. Both leaders had joined the party in the presence of Haryana Congress president Selja.
Campaigning for the Congress candidate from Kalawali Shishpal, Rori said the Congress was the only party which could bail out the masses from the “highhandedness” of BJP leaders.
Selja said both the ex-MPs and their families had been closely associated with her father and former MP Dalbir Singh.
“We have no words to express on their joining. Both had always been doing clean politics and remained in public.. The way leaders and workers are joining the Congress, it suggests that Haryana will celebrate Diwali with us,’’ said Selja.
Selja said the two leaders did not join the party on any condition. “Their joining is unconditional. They have joined at a time when the election process is midway. So, you can imagine if they have bargained or not,’’ she added.