Haryana Election: Kumari Selja Dismisses BJP Switch Speculation, Says 'I Will Remain A Congressperson'
Haryana Election 2024: Kumari Selja, a senior Congress leader, has denied rumors of switching to the BJP, accusing the ruling party of diverting attention from its failures in Haryana.
New Delhi, Sep 23 (PTI) "I am a Congressperson, I will remain a Congressperson", senior leader Kumari Selja asserted on Monday and dismissed talk of a possible switch to the BJP, accusing the ruling party of diverting attention from its own "failures" in Haryana.
Amid reports that she was disgruntled over ticket distribution for the Haryana Assembly polls, Selja also dismissed talk of discord within the Congress ranks and said, "We will together form the government".
Asked about the BJP's recent overtures to her to join its ranks amid reports that she was discontented over ticket distribution for the Haryana Assembly polls, the Congress general secretary said, "The BJP is probably more concerned. There are many things that go around within the party.
"We had worked to ensure the party's victory earlier in Lok Sabha and later also...so that we strengthen the party on the ground, work for the people on the ground and taking that forward, we have to form a Congress government." Selja said she would start her campaign for the polls in two to three days.
"Since I was silent they (the BJP) started talking but there is no such thing, they also know it, they were also doing politics but they know and everyone knows, Selja is a Congressi," she told PTI videos.
On whether the perception of disgruntlement would help the BJP, she said, "There is no such thing, we will together form the government." Later, asked about the BJP leaders' statements about her and the possibility of her switching sides, Selja said, "I have made it abundantly clear that I am a Congressperson, I will remain a Congressperson and the BJP is trying to hide its own shortcomings and that is why they are trying to divert attention to these kinds of issues." "They should first share with people what they have been able to achieve in the last 10 years. On the contrary, people feel cheated in 10 years of misrule of the BJP," she told PTI.
Her remarks came after party general secretary Randeep Surjewala said Sirsa MP Selja will campaign for the Congress and address a public meeting in Narwana this week.
The BJP has targeted the grand old party over alleged infighting amid reports that she was sulking. Selja, 61, is a Congress general secretary and prominent Dalit face of the party.
With Haryana going to polls on October 5, the ruling BJP has been targeting the Congress over the Dalit leader staying away from the poll campaign.
Union minister and senior BJP leader Manohar Lal Khattar had recently invited Selja to join the saffron party, amid reports that she was staying away from the campaign.
Khattar, the former Haryana chief minister, had also pointed towards the alleged infighting in the state unit of Congress ahead of the assembly polls.
Several BJP leaders have been targeting the Congress over alleged disrespect being meted out to Selja, whose last campaign was in support of party candidates Shamsher Singh Gogi and Shalley Chaudhary on September 11.
Selja was also conspicuous by her absence at an event in Delhi where the Congress released its guarantees for the polls. PTI ASK RHL
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