Haryana: INLD’s Karnal block president joins Congress

Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee president Kumari Selja says there is a need to strengthen the party and its leadership

Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) suffered a jolt on Sunday as its Karnal block president Om Prakash Saluja joined the Congress.

The new joiners with Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee president Kumari Selja. (Twitter)

Welcoming Saluja and his supporters, Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee president Kumari Selja said they will be given due respect. She said that Saluja’s joining will give strength to the Congress.

Need to strengthen Congress and its leadership

Reacting to the reports of her offer to resign as HPCC chief, Selja said, “We keep raising issues of the state with the central leadership and they have given us a right to make them aware of the ground situation of our state.”

“There might be something behind these talks. But everything will be made clear in due time,” she added.

“Irrespective of any post or position, I think that becoming a true soldier of the Congress is a matter of pride. For me, the Congress, its ideology and our leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi should be given strength,” she added.

Without naming any leader of the party, she said that self-projections are harmful and everybody should work to strengthen the party.

She, however, admitted that the delay in restructuring of the Congress’ organisation in Haryana and appointments of office-bearers for the past several years has dismayed the ground-level workers of the party as a responsibility or position gives an identity to a worker.

“But I hope that our workers will get their due and identity soon,” she added.

About the party’s debacle in Punjab elections, she said there were several factors behind it. “Besides shortcomings at the end of the party, there were several other factors responsible for the defeat in Punjab and the party is working on them,” Selja said.

She alleged that the present government has failed to put a check on corruption. “Even the CM’s constituency Karnal has witnessed several incidents of corruption recently and arrest of few officers will not help to put a check on such practices,” she added.