Former municipal council (MC) member Narinder Marwaha Bengalli on Saturday joined the Congress. Bengalli has remained councillor for four times and was a founder member of the BJP in 1980. He was associated with the party since Jan Sangh days.
Making an indirect reference to sitting MLA Anil Vij, Bengalli said he has taken the decision with heavy heart as old and since party workers were being sidelined and inner-party democracy was missing in the BJP.
Welcoming him into the party fold, district Congress committee (DCC) president and former minister Nirmal Singh said the Congress was the only party where workers were respected, adding the party would get a boost with Bengalli joining it.
He claimed that the party would utilise Bengalli's services in the coming assembly elections.
Reacting to Vij's reported threat of launching an agitation on the freehold issue of Ambala Sadar properties, Nirmal Singh said the MLA was misleading people on the issue.
He asserted that the government has not taken any final decision on the issue and the MLA's claim that Rs 1.2 lakh per square yard conversion charges would be payable for the commercial properties was false.
Vij was making premature allegations as no final decision on the freehold issue has been announced, the former minister said, adding the Congress would demand that in the event of freeholding the leased properties minimum charges should be levied.
{{/usCountry}}Vij was making premature allegations as no final decision on the freehold issue has been announced, the former minister said, adding the Congress would demand that in the event of freeholding the leased properties minimum charges should be levied.
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