Ex-minister Harsh quits BJP to join JJP

Bijendra Ahlawat

Tribune News Service

Palwal, February 13

Chaudhary Harsh Kumar, a former minister and two-time MLA from the Hathin Assembly segment in the district, on Wednesday announced that he was resigning from the BJP to join the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), led by Dushyant Chautala.

Kumar, who served as Irrigation Minister from 1996 to 1999 in the Bansi Lal government, made this announcement at a press conference held here. He said he had got disenchanted with the BJP’s style of the functioning and its failure to deliver the promises made before assuming power in the state and the Centre. He would formally join the JJP at a public meeting on February 17.

Earlier known as a confidant of former CM Bansi Lal, Kumar was elected as MLA from Hathin in 1996 on an HVP (Haryana Vikas Party) ticket. He was again elected as MLA from Hathin in 2004 as an Independent candidate. He, however, lost the election in 2009 when he contested as Congress candidate. Kumar joined the BJP in 2014.

Accusing the BJP of being “anti-farmer and anti-poor”, he said he and his supporters had been feeling let down by the party over to its “failure” to come up to the expectations of the people. “I think the BJP believes more in publicity and announcements than in doing work,” he remarked, when asked about his reason for switching parties. Claiming that unemployment had soared, he said the BJP had failed to provide jobs even though it had promised to two crore jobs each year. He said certain projects like a paramilitary training centre in Hathin and a bypass for the town had been hanging fire.

The shortage of drinking and irrigation water for the area had also not been addressed. Former Minister Jagdish Nayyar and Surender Sorot, district president of the JJP, were among those present.