Haryana assembly election | ‘What's wrong if…’: CM Saini on Kumari Selja's ‘unhappiness’ with Congress
Reports have suggested that Dalit leader Kumari Selja is unhappy over ticket distribution within the Congress party and is staying away from election campaign.
Reacting to reports of dissent and differences over ticket distribution within the Congress party, Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini accused the party of being “anti-Dalit” for allegedly being hesitant to make its leader, Kumari Selja, as its CM face.
Saini alleged that Selja had been insulted and asked what crime she had committed if she wanted to be the CM face of the Congress party. “Congress is anti-Dalit; Congress does not respect Dalits. If any Dalit leader wants to move forward in Congress, Congress crushes that leader. Kumari Selja is not a small leader, she is a very big leader of Congress, a big leader of Dalits... She is a leader, if she wanted to become the Chief Minister, what crime did she commit?” Saini told new agency ANI.
Also read | Why not: Kumari Selja on whether she is in running for Haryana CM
Dissent within Congress?
Amid recent reports of Congress leader Kumari Selja staying away from the election campaign, former Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar invited her to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Hinting his party's readiness, he also said anything cannot be ruled out in a world of possibilities.
"There is our Dalit sister... sitting at home. A large section of people are today thinking about what they should do. Many people were upset with them and we brought them into the party fold. We are ready with an offer and if (she) comes, we are ready to induct her," Khattar said.
Also read | Unemployment on the rise, BJP running govt on lies: Kumari Selja
Congress reacts
Dismissing such reports as “speculations”, the Congress candidate from Uchana Kalan assembly constituency, Brijendra Singh, said the BJP is “facing frustration” in the state ahead of elections.
"Kumari Selja is one of the very senior leaders, there is no point in saying such things about her. She will contribute fully to Congress in this election. BJP is a shop of lies," Brijendra Singh said.
Former union minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram had also ruled out reports of dissent within his party. "My good friend (Kumari) Selja ji has not said a single word against Mr (Bhupinder Singh) Hooda, nor has Mr Hooda said a word against Ms Selja. So, we are a united party. We will fight this election in a united manner," Chidambaram had said.
(With ANI inputs)
