Kiran Choudhry backstabbed Congress during Rajya Sabha poll: Udai Bhan

Tribune News Service

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Chandigarh, June 19

Following the induction of five-term MLA Kiran Choudhry into the BJP today, state Congress president Udai Bhan claimed that she had backstabbed them during the Rajya Sabha election in 2022, and it was good that now she would fight them openly.

Party seeks Kiran’s disqualification

Deputy Congress Legislative Party leader Aftab Ahmed and party Chief Whip BB Batra have given a notice to the Speaker, seeking Kiran’s disqualification under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution. They also quoted an SC order which said “an anti-defection law is a statutory variant of its moral principle and justification underlying the power of recall. What might justify a provision for recall would justify a provision for disqualification for defection.”

Bhan said former CM Manohar Lal Khattar had exposed her today when he stated that her body was in the Congress but heart was with the BJP. “Khattar should explain what deal was struck with Kiran during the Rajya Sabha election,” he said.

Cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha poll had resulted in the defeat of Ajay Maken, who is presently the national treasurer of the Congress.

Regarding the impact of her leaving the party, Bhan said, “The Congress is a big family. In the past over a year, 40-42 former MLAs and MPs had joined the party in Haryana. If she goes, it doesn’t impact us.”

“She recently said the Congress did not have a future in Haryana. Now, she has joined the ruling party. Everyone has the right to see his or her future,” he stated.

On the denial of a ticket to Kiran’s daughter Shruti from the Bhiwani-Mahendragarh seat, he replied, “The ticket was given as per the party survey. During discussions, there were other leaders like Kumari Selja and Randeep Surjewala too. There were national leaders as well.”

He said the ticket to Rao Dan Singh was given after due deliberations. Shruti had lost in 2014 and 2019.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha poll, Rao Dan Singh lost to BJP’s Dharambir Singh by 41,510 votes.

“In the 2019 Assembly poll, four tickets were allotted on Kiran’s advice. All lost their deposits. She struck a deal with Dharambir Singh and JJP’s Dushyant Chautala for her election from Tosham. In return, she helped Dushyant’s mother Naina to win from Badhra, resulting in the defeat of Congress candidate Ranbir Singh Mahendra,” he claimed.

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