CHANDIGARH: Rebellion in the ruling BJP in Haryana has intensified with former minister Bachan Singh Arya resigning from the party and joining those who have recently quit the party.
In the past few days two ministers and one MLA, besides other senior leaders, have put in their papers after they were denied the party nomination.
The polls for the 90-member Assembly are due October 5 and the last date for filing nomination papers on September 12. Ballots will be counted on October 8.
Arya was hoping for a ticket from the Safidon Assembly constituency in Jind district. However, the party has nominated Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) rebel Ram Kumar Gautam, who joined the party earlier this month.
In a four-line letter to the state party chief, Arya stated that he was resigning from the primary membership of the party and the state executive. Arya lost the 2019 election by only 3,000 votes.
Earlier power & energy minister Ranjit Singh Chautala, MoS (independent charge) for social justice Bishamber Singh Valmiki and MLA Lakshman Napa resigned. Besides, OBC leader Karan Dev Kamboj quit all party posts for the same reason.
Meanwhile, the Opposition Congress is also feeling the heat of dissidence. Party leader Rajesh Joon quit Congress and decided to contest as an independent candidate after he was denied ticket from Bahadurgarh. The party has retained MLA Rajinder Singh Joon.