Denied ticket, Babli says Congress a house divided, running like ‘private limited company’

Sirsa, August 31

Former minister and Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) rebel MLA Devender Babli has criticised the Congress after being denied a ticket, labelling it as a “private limited company” and calling Kumari Selja a weak leader.

Babli expressed his disappointment with the Congress, stating that people of Tohana and his supporters were deeply hurt by the party’s actions. Although he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of joining the BJP, he declared that he would contest the election, even if it means contesting as an independent candidate.

The controversy arose after Congress incharge Deepak Babaria announced that Babli had requested a ticket, but was denied because he was not a Congress member. Babaria noted that any change in this decision would depend on the party president, but as of now, the ticket had been refused.

Babli had been in Delhi for several days, with speculation growing that he might run on a Congress ticket after his resignation from the JJP on August 17.

Talking to The Tribune, Babli accused the Congress of using him and his supporters, leaving the people of Tohana disappointed. He also criticised Kumari Selja saying that despite the strong support she received from Tohana in the Lok Sabha elections, she failed to represent the region’s interests to the high command, demonstrating her weakness. Babli further alleged that the Congress was deeply divided, functioning like a private limited company, and he vowed not to join the party.

Responding to Babaria’s statement, Babli accused the Congress of seeking his support during the Lok Sabha elections with promises of a ticket, only to later deny him. He asserted that the Congress was a failing party that would not succeed in forming the government in Haryana.

Babli however praised the BJP for being a disciplined organisation, contrasting it with the Congress’ internal disarray. While he has ruled out joining a regional party, Babli indicated that he is consulting with his core committee and supporters to decide his next move, He said he would contest the election, even as an independent.

Babli’s political journey has been tumultuous. After being denied a Congress ticket in 2019, he contested the Tohana Assembly election on a JJP ticket, defeating the then-BJP state president Subhash Barala by a significant margin. Later, he served as Development and Panchayats Minister, but faced resistance from sarpanches over the e-tendering process. His fallout with the JJP began after the BJP-JJP alliance broke down, and his support for the Congress’ Kumari Selja in the Lok Sabha elections further distanced him from the JJP.