Ahead of the Haryana Assembly elections, former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar made headlines by publicly inviting Congress MP Kumari Selja to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In a sharp attack on the internal strife within the Congress, Khattar accused the party of disrespecting its Dalit leaders, singling out Selja, a prominent Dalit figure in Haryana politics, as being humiliated by her own party.
Khattar’s remarks, made during a public rally, took aim at the ongoing power struggle within the Congress. He criticized the lack of unity over selecting a clear Chief Ministerial candidate, pointing out the rivalry between former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his son, Deepender Hooda. He implied that the ambitions of others, particularly those like Selja who lie outside the Hooda family, were being sidelined. “Our Dalit sister has been insulted, even forced to sit at home,” Khattar claimed, offering the BJP as a political refuge for such marginalized leaders(
NewsDrum).
Khattar’s invitation to Selja is viewed as a strategic move by the BJP to exploit Congress’s internal discord and potentially poach its leaders ahead of the crucial elections. Selja’s absence from recent Congress campaigns further fueled speculation about her dissatisfaction within the party. The BJP, meanwhile, hopes to capitalize on this turmoil to strengthen its position in the state(
While Selja has not publicly responded to Khattar’s offer, the move adds to the mounting speculation surrounding Congress’s internal issues. Senior Congress leaders like Randeep Surjewala have also been mentioned as potential defectors, further complicating the political landscape as the elections approach.
Khattar also made a broader critique of Congress leaders, accusing them of being more focused on personal gains than on Haryana’s development. He pointed to the BJP’s efforts in creating job opportunities for the youth, contrasting it with Congress’s alleged self-interest(
NewsDrum).
The political dynamics in Haryana are expected to intensify as the elections draw nearer, with the BJP closely monitoring Congress’s internal strife and positioning itself to attract disgruntled leaders. How these shifts will affect the electoral outcome remains to be seen.
