Congress gets boost in Karnal as several BJP leaders join party

In a major boost to the Congress in Karnal Assembly segment ahead of the state elections, former minister and two-time MLA Jai Parkash Gupta, who quit the BJP on Friday, joined the Congress on Saturday. Gupta was welcomed into the party fold by Haryana Congress president Udai Bhan and former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda at an event in Delhi.

It seems to be a major blow to the ruling BJP, particularly in the Karnal Assembly segment. Gupta, a seasoned politician who has contested seven elections from the Karnal seat and secured two victories, expressed dissatisfaction with the BJP's treatment of party workers and its failure to address public concerns.

He said he had been associated with the Congress for a long time.

Gupta remained Chairman of the Karnal Market Committee in 1984 and had contested his first election in 1987 as an independent candidate, but failed to taste victory. He won the seat in 1991 on the Congress ticket and again in 2000 as an Independent. However, he faced defeat in the 1996, 2005, 2009 and 2014 elections.

Among others switching sides are the former Chairman of the Karnal Municipal Council Balwinder Kalra, former councillors and their supporters. In a gathering held at the Congress’s election office in the city, the newly-inducted leaders vowed to work to ensure the victory of Sumita Singh in the upcoming elections.

“We will work to ensure the victory of Congress’s candidate Sumita Singh,” Kalra said.

Former BJP district media coordinator Harpal Kalampura also quit the party and joined the Congress.