New Delhi: Congress MLA Kuldeep Bishnoi on Wednesday (August 3, 2022) resigned from the Haryana Assembly and is now expected to join the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Bishnoi, who submitted his resignation to Assembly Speaker Gian Chand Gupta, said that Congress is “no longer” what it was during Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi’s time. The four-time MLA and two-time MP added that the party has deviated from its ideology. His resignation has necessitated a bypoll for the Adampur seat in the Hisar district, which Bishnoi currently represents.
The 53-year-old was expelled from all party positions by the Congress soon after he cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha polls in June. He had been sulking since before that and had raised a banner of revolt after the party ignored him for the post of its Haryana unit chief during a revamp earlier this year.
Bishnoi in the past few weeks had met Union Minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda and Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar. He is likely to join the BJP on Thursday.
I mr @jpnadda Very proud to meet you. His easy going and humble nature sets him apart from others. Under his able presidency, @bjp4india He has seen unprecedented heights. I wish him good health and long life. pic.twitter.com/J4iy9vnWwn— Kuldeep Bishnoi (@bishnoikuldeep) July 10, 2022
Mr. @amitshah It was a real honor and a pleasure to meet Ji. A true statesman, I felt his aura and charisma in my interactions with him. His vision for India is awe-inspiring.
“Being open to your tongue,
It is very difficult to become Amit Shah…” pic.twitter.com/Z5jS6e7xp5— Kuldeep Bishnoi (@bishnoikuldeep) July 10, 2022
Today, he had a courtesy call on the virtuous and friendly Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr. Manohar Lal ji and held important discussions regarding the current political issue of the state and development work of Haryana. pic.twitter.com/G08GtV4Mkv— Kuldeep Bishnoi (@bishnoikuldeep) July 24, 2022
Respected Shri J.P. Had an intimate meeting with Nadda ji and discussed the current political topic
Nadda ji’s simplicity and his easy-going personality give him the identity of a true public servant. pic.twitter.com/HPAoa6wwyT— Kuldeep Bishnoi (@bishnoikuldeep) July 24, 2022
For the younger son of former Haryana chief minister Bhajan Lal, it will be the second parting with the Congress, nearly six years after he had returned to the fold.
Bishnoi and his father Bhajan Lal had floated the Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) in 2007 after the Congress handpicked Bhupinder Singh Hooda for the chief minister’s post following the party’s thumping victory in 2005. The HJC later entered into a tie-up with the BJP and two other parties, who jointly contested the 2014 Lok Sabha polls in Haryana. But the alliance crumbled before the assembly polls.
Around six years ago, Bishnoi returned to the Congress fold. However, despite his return to Congress, Bishnoi and Hooda never had warm relations.
(With agency inputs)