Haryana: Former Congress leader Kiran Choudhry, daughter Shruti join BJP ahead of elections

Haryana Congress suffered a major blow ahead of the state assembly elections as senior leader Kiran Choudhry and her daughter Shruti Choudhry joined the BJP. Their exit, citing grievances against the state Congress leadership and Bhupinder Singh Hooda, significantly strengthens the BJP while highlighting internal discord within the Congress

Amrita Ghosh

First Published Jun 19, 2024, 12:09 PM IST | Last Updated Jun 19, 2024, 12:09 PM IST

Haryana Congress has faced a significant setback ahead of the state assembly elections, with senior leader Kiran Choudhry and her daughter Shruti Choudhry joining the ruling BJP. Shruti Choudhry expressed that there was a noticeable wave in favor of the BJP due to its policies aimed at progressing the state and country, which has led to repeated electoral successes for the Prime Minister. Both Kiran and Shruti emphasized their commitment to strengthening the BJP.

Kiran Choudhry, the daughter-in-law of former Haryana chief minister Bansi Lal, has been a vocal critic of senior Congress leader and former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. In their resignation letters to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Kiran and Shruti Choudhry criticized the Haryana Congress unit, suggesting it was being run as a "personal fiefdom."

Kiran, a sitting MLA from Tosham in Bhiwani district, and Shruti, a former MP and working president of the Haryana unit of the Congress, both articulated their grievances in their letters. Kiran expressed frustration over being stifled, humiliated, and conspired against, hindering her efforts to represent the people and uphold her values. Shruti accused the state unit of being centered around one individual who compromised the party's interests for personal gain.

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Kiran Choudhry's dissatisfaction also stemmed from the denial of a ticket to Shruti from the Bhiwani-Mahendragarh constituency in the recent Lok Sabha elections, as well as the overall distribution of tickets by the party in Haryana. Shruti Choudhry mentioned her family's legacy of selfless service to the country and her commitment to continuing that tradition with honesty and sincerity.

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There is speculation that Shruti Choudhry might be considered for a Rajya Sabha seat, but Kiran Choudhry clarified that their move to the BJP was unconditional. In her resignation letter, Kiran highlighted her four-decade-long dedication to the Congress and her desire to serve the people, stating that she could no longer do so under the current constraints.

Both Kiran and Shruti Choudhry thanked Kharge and the Congress leadership for the opportunities provided to them. Kiran criticized Bhupinder Hooda, accusing him of prioritizing his son's political career over the party's interests and engaging in petty conspiracies. She lamented that such behavior made it difficult to maintain her political position.

Kiran Choudhry accused Hooda of undermining other leaders and being self-serving. She alleged that during Hooda's tenure as chief minister, he withheld development funds from their areas and now aimed to politically marginalize them entirely.

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