Kuldeep Bishnoi holds show of strength in Karnal, local Congress leaders remain absent
Bishnoi, who is the Congress Working Committee’s (CWC’s) special invitee, said the recent meeting of leaders from the state with Rahul Gandhi was “very positive.”
In a show of strength, Congress MLA Kuldeep Bishnoi organised a rally in Karnal on Sunday, however none of the local leaders from the party showed up.
The Adampur ( Hisar) MLA, who was said, “Karnal is like a second home to me. The people here have always supported my family. My late father, Bhajan Lal, had won elections from here, which is why I decided to launch my rally (Jan Jagran Karya Karta Sammelan) from Karnal.”
On why he had been away from politics for three years, he said, “I was abroad, seeking treatment for throat cancer. However, I have come back with a pledge to uproot this government.”
Bishnoi, who is the Congress Working Committee’s (CWC’s) special invitee, said the recent meeting of leaders from the state with Rahul Gandhi was “very positive.”
While Bishnoi chose his words carefully, some key speakers slammed the Congress leadership for declaring Bhupinder Singh Hooda , a Jat leader, the chief minister after the Congress won 67 of 90 seats in the 2005 assembly election under the leadership of Bhajan Lal. Bihsnoi’s Haryana Janhit Congress had merged into the Congress seven years ago.
His close associate Dharam Pal Malik advised his supporters to avoid spitting venom against the party leadership. “This is a very crucial time. We should avoid speaking out against the party leaders as any mistake at this stage could ruin everything,” he said.
Slams Khattar over corruption
Referring to the arrest of senior Karnal officers in a bribery case, Bishnoi attacked chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar for failing to check to put a check on corruption. He also said the CM had not set up any major project in his constituency for the past seven years. “The BJP government has pushed the state 10 years back, and people from all sections of society are suffering,” he said.
“This government is dividing people in the name of caste and religion. Unemployment and corruption are at the peak, fuel prices have increased five times in the past five days, but everything is forgotten during the polls,” he said, promising inclusive and unbiased development in the state, if voted to power.
Were not invited: Cong leaders
Local Congress leaders were nowhere to be seen during the rally as they were reportedly not invited. Congress’ former Karnal MLA Sumita Singh refused to comment on the rally, saying she was out of town.
“His supporters are saying that he (Kuldeep Bishnoi) is coming to revive the Congress in Haryana, but I think he is coming to Haryana to revive his own political career,” another Congress leader Kuldeep Sharma said, responding to a question. He added that had he come for the Congress, he would have invited the leaders.