Denial of Lok Sabha ticket by Congress upsets supporters

Deepender Deswal

Hisar, April 26

While the BJP is trying to placate its disgruntled leader Kuldeep Bishnoi, the Congress will now have to grapple with the ‘dissent’ of supporters of two prominent political families of Birender Singh and Kiran Choudhry.

Birender’s son Brijendra Singh, a BJP MP from Hisar who recently joined the Congress with his father, was denied ticket from Hisar. Though a long time Congressman, Birender had joined the BJP in 2014. After joining the Congress, Brijendra had been pitching for ticket and even met Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. However, party sources said the ground survey conducted by the Congress showed that he was facing resentment among people on the issue of farmers’ agitation.

Brijendra, Shruti call meeting

Brijendra Singh: A BJP MP (2019-2024), he left the BJP to join the Congress and was aspiring for ticket from Hisar. His father Birender Singh was Congress MP from Hisar in 1984. Birender has called a meeting of his supporters in Jind on Sunday.

Shruti Choudhry: A Congress MP in 2009, she faced defeats in 2014 and 2019. She is the granddaughter of former CM Bansi Lal and daughter of Congress MLA Kiran Choudhry. Shruti has called a meeting of her supporters in Bhiwani on Saturday.

“Brijendra has the baggage of being a BJP MP. He was one of the signatories to the three farmers’ laws. This has gone against Brijendra,” said a party leader.

Similarly, at the Bhiwani-Mahendragarh parliamentary constituency, former MP Shruti Choudhry, granddaughter of former CM Bansi Lal, has been replaced by Rao Dan Singh, a sitting MLA from the Mahendragarh constituency. Though her mother Kiran Choudhry, Congress MLA from Tosham, had been lobbying for ticket to her daughter, the party rejected her claim.

“This is a setback for them, but chances of rebellion are slim. Both have called a meeting of their supporters to discuss the fallout,” said Prof ML Goyal, a political expert.