BJP leader Pawan Beniwal quits party in farmers’ support

In a setback to BJP in Sirsa district of Haryana, a local party leader Pawan Beniwal Tuesday announced his decision to quit the saffron party in support of the agitator farmers.

Talking to The Indian Express, Beniwal said, “I was upset because the farmers are being neglected currently. No significant development works are being carried out in my area. In these circumstances, I was feeling suffocated in the BJP.”

“BJP leadership had asked me to educate the farmers about the benefits of three farm laws. But how can I do this when even I fail to understand the benefits of these laws,” he added.

Beniwal had joined the BJP ahead of 2014 Assembly polls leaving the INLD. As a BJP candidate, he contested 2014 and 2019 Assembly elections against INLD’s Abhay Chautala from Ellenabad constituency.

In 2014, he secured around 57,000 votes and in 2019 he was voted around 45,000 votes but lost both battles by a margin of around 11,000 votes. He was chairman of Haryana Seed Development Corporation from 2016 to 2019.

Sources close to Beniwal hinted that he may join Congress in coming days. Meanwhile, former Fatehabad MLA Balwan Singh Daulatpuria also joined Congress Tuesday. He had also left the BJP on the issue of three farm laws extending support to the agitator farmers.