Ahead of civic polls, Congress expels seven leaders over BJP switch
In the wake of multiple defections to the BJP ahead of the upcoming urban local bodies’ polls in Haryana, the state Congress unit has expelled seven leaders for “anti-party activities,” imposing a six-year ban on them. The action was taken following consultations with the new state incharge, BK Hariprasad.
Among the expelled leaders is Ram Niwas Rara, who had contested the 2024 Vidhan Sabha elections from Hisar on a Congress ticket but lost. Rara joined the BJP in the presence of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini in Chandigarh on Wednesday. Initially filing his nomination for the Hisar mayoral election as an Independent after being denied a Congress ticket, he later withdrew his nomination in favour of the BJP candidate following his defection.
Rara, who also contested and lost the 2019 Vidhan Sabha polls on a Congress ticket, was reportedly dissatisfied with the party’s selection process.
The Congress also expelled Tarlochan Singh and Ashok Khurana, both former District Congress Committee presidents of Karnal, after they joined the BJP. Sources revealed their discontent stemmed from the party's decision to nominate former Deputy Mayor Manoj Wadhwa for the mayoral post. Tarlochan Singh had unsuccessfully contested the Karnal Vidhan Sabha elections twice on a Congress ticket.
In Yamunanagar, the axe fell on Pradeep Chaudhary, Member of the Coordination Committee (North Zone) and Madhu Chaudhary, former president of the District Youth Congress (Urban). Both were reportedly eyeing mayoral tickets and expressed dissatisfaction when denied the opportunity.
The Congress also expelled Harvinder (Lovely), state general secretary of the SC Department, HPCC, and Ram Kishan Sain, Pradesh Congress Committee delegate, from Gurugram for engaging in anti-party activities.
