Former Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi and his wife Renuka with Haryana CM Manohar Lal and Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat after joining the Bharatiya Janata Party, at the party headquarters, in New Delhi, Thursday, Aug 4, 2022. (PTI Photo)Haryana Congress rebel leader Kuldeep Bishnoi joined the BJP, Thursday, a day after he had resigned his membership from Haryana Vidhan Sabha. Kuldeep Bishnoi is a four-time MLA and two-time Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha. His wife and a two-time former MLA Renuka Bishnoi also joined BJP with him.
The Bishnois joined the BJP at the party headquarters in New Delhi in the presence of senior BJP leaders, including Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
Former Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi meets BJP National President JP Nadda after joining the Bharatiya Janata Party, at the latter’s residence in New Delhi, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022. (PTI Photo) On the occasion, Bishnoi, who was elected from Adampur constituency, termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi the “best Prime Minister ever” and appreciated his vision, ideology and BJP’s policies. He also praised Khattar for having a “spotless” reputation despite being the Chief Minister for over eight years.
Bishnoi’s resignation from Vidhan Sabha Wednesday has necessitated a bypoll in Adampur constituency of Hisar district in Haryana. The bypoll shall be held within six months.
Subscriber Only Stories
Bishnoi indicated that his son Bhavya Bishnoi, most likely, shall be contesting the bypoll as a BJP nominee. “I have joined the BJP without any condition. I only wanted love and respect for me and my supporters. Adampur is my family. I would like my son Bhavya Bishnoi to contest the bypoll from Adampur. Otherwise, even if the party decides to nominate anybody else, I shall welcome that”, Bishnoi said after joining BJP.
Inducting him into the party, Khattar also spoke about Bhavya Bishnoi calling him a “young budding politician”, and said that BJP welcomes him too in the party. “Kuldeep Bishnoi mentors an association of the Bishnoi community, which has a significant presence in Rajasthan also. His [Kuldeep Bishnoi’s] presence in BJP would strengthen it in both Haryana and Rajasthan,” Khattar said, welcoming Kuldeep Bishnoi and his wife Renuka Bishnoi to the BJP.
Former Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi and his wife Renuka while meeting BJP National President JP Nadda (unseen) after joining the Bharatiya Janata Party, at Nadda’s residence in New Delhi, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022. (PTI Photo) Talking to mediapersons after joining BJP, Kuldeep said, “Today, I and all my supporters from Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan have joined BJP. I also have a list of seven former MLAs who are ready to join the BJP. I cannot reveal their names at this stage, but I shall soon be discussing it with CM Khattar and bring them too into the BJP.”
About his association with BJP, Kuldeep said, “I and my associates had been part of the BJP earlier in the party’s campaign in 2014 Lok Sabha polls when Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister. Although some differences cropped up, there was no bitterness. It would not be incorrect for me to call him [Narendra Modi] the best Prime Minister of India who always puts the nation first and works for the welfare of the poor and their uplift”.
On the occasion, Bishnoi was also appreciated and welcomed by BJP’s top leaders, including party president J P Nadda, Union Minister Gajendra Shekhawat and BJP’s state president Om Prakash Dhankar.
Kuldeep Bishnoi is a grassroot leader and he and all those who have joined BJP today shall be given responsibilities according to their seniority, Dhankar said.
Talking to mediapersons, Bishnoi once again lashed out at Indian National Congress and said that the party, which it used to be during Indira Gandhi ji and Rajiv Gandhi ji “has lost its vision and is in a self-destructive mode”.
On Congress party affairs in charge of Haryana Vivek Bansal being sidelined, Kuldeep said, “I had worked with several party affairs in-charge in the past, but Vivek Bansal is an extremely hardworking and honest leader. I respect him. If the party is sidelining him in Haryana, it would be another suicidal step for the Congress”.
After he was not appointed as Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee president, Bishnoi had voted in favour of BJP-JJP backed Kartikeya Sharma in the June 10 Rajya Sabha polls for two seats from Haryana. It led to Congress’ nominee Ajay Maken’s defeat. Kartikeya Sharma has also announced that he and his supporters would support Kuldeep and Bhavya in the Adampur’s bypoll.
Recognising Bishnoi’s support in Rajya Sabha polls that led to independent candidate Kartikeya Sharma’s victory, Khattar said, He [Kuldeep Bishnoi] fulfilled the assurance of supporting and voting for our candidate. It was a close contest, but his crucial vote led to our candidate’s win.
BJP is expecting that Bishnoi, son of Haryana’s former chief minister Bhajan Lal, would help the party further strengthen its non-Jat vote bank both in Haryana and Rajasthan. Various BJP MLAs from Haryana also welcomed Bishnoi’s induction into BJP.
- The Indian Express website has been rated GREEN for its credibility and trustworthiness by Newsguard, a global service that rates news sources for their journalistic standards.
First published on: 04-08-2022 at 04:34:20 pm