Congress suffers jolt as prominent Jat leaders quit ahead of UP polls

In a major setback to the Congress in Uttar Pradesh ahead of elections next year, former Rajya Sabha MP and four-time MLA Harendra Malik and his son, Pankaj Malik, quit the party on Tuesday

In a major setback to the Congress in Uttar Pradesh ahead of elections next year, former Rajya Sabha MP and four-time MLA Harendra Malik and his son, Pankaj Malik, quit the party on Tuesday.

**EDS: FILE** New Delhi: In this file photo dated August 10, 2019, then outgoing Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra at a tribute-paying ceremony of former Delhi CM Shiela Dikshit at Shankar Lal Auditorium in New Delhi.Ahead of the Congress Working Committee meeting on Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, different voices have emerged within the party with one section comprising sitting MPs and former ministers demanding collective leadership, while another group has sought the return of Rahul Gandhi to the helm. (PTI Photo/Ravi Choudhary)(PTI23-08-2020_000085B) (PTI)

While the father-son duo have not said anything about their future plans, speculations are rife that they may join the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party soon.

Harendra, a four-time MLA, was a member of Congress national general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s advisory committee. He is also a prominent Jat face in western Uttar Pradesh.

“I have resigned for some unavoidable reasons. I served the party for 18 years and am not a man of levelling charges while quitting,” Harendra told HT on Tuesday.

Harendra was a member of Rajya Sabha from Indian National Lokdal in 2004. He served as the party’s state chief and widened its support base before joining the Congress 18 years ago.

Harendra’s son, Pankaj, is a former MLA and was serving as the vice-president of the state Congress unit. He was also made in charge of western Uttar Pradesh.

According to people familiar with the developments, the father-son duo resigned as they felt they were being ignored by the leadership.

“More and more leaders, from all parties, have been coming to SP or looking to join SP because SP is the party that will defeat BJP and form the next government. Our party president had repeatedly said that all are welcome,” SP state spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said.

Political analyst and Lucknow University professor SK Dwivedi said: “Leaders from Congress or BSP are joining the SP. Congress is creating a buzz but lacks organisation at the grassroots level while BSP has eroded in the state. It looks like the elections will be BJP vs SP by and large.”