In a major setback to Haryana’s main Opposition party — Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), party’s sitting MLA Ranbir Gangwa hasjoined the BJP.
On the occasion of Holi on Thursday, Gangwa joined the BJP in presence of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal and State party president Subhash Barala in New Delhi. Gangwa was elected as member of the Rajya Sabha in 2010 on an INLD ticket. The party had fielded him as candidate from Nalwa Assembly segment in 2014 which he won by defeating Haryana Janhit Congress candidate Chander Mohan.
Nalwa Assembly segment falls under Hisar Lok Sabha constituency and Gangwa will give a boost to the party’s prospects in the parliamentary seat. The BJP had lost the Hisar parliamentary seat to Dushyant Chautala, who had contested on INLD’s ticket in 2014 general elections.
The polling for ten Lok Sabha seats in Haryana is scheduled to be held in a single phase on May 12.
After joining the BJP, Ranbir Gangwa said it had become difficult to work in the INLD after factionalism plagued the party lately.
He said, “In the prevailing situation, I had to either leave the party or politics. After discussions with my friends, I decided to join the BJP.”
I assure the BJP leaders that whatever duties they assign me, I will work for that with all my might, Gangwa added. Describing himself as someone from “backward class”, he also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and CM Manohar Lal for their leadership quality and developmental works. Earlier welcoming Gangwa into party fold, Manohar Lal praised him for his rich experience in politics and being a ground-worker. “He (Gangwa) is a worker connected to people on the ground. He is from OBC community and holds a good reputation in the community,” the Chief Minister said.
Seat of Leader of
Opposition Under Threat
With INLD’s MLA Ranbir Gangwa joining the BJP, seat of Leader of Opposition in State Assembly, Abhay Chautala is under threat.
In the 90-member State Assembly, while the ruling BJP has 48 MLAs after the recent Jind bypoll win, the Congress has 17 members and the INLD has 16 MLAs after Gangwa joined the BJP. Among these 16 members of the INLD, four had last year joined the Jannayak Janta Party formed after the split. One each member belongs to the SAD and the BSP, five are Independents while one seat fell vacant after demise of INLD’s Jaswinder Singh Sandhu in the State Assembly. With number game in favour of the Congress in the State Assembly after Ranbir Gangwa leaving the INLD, Abhay Chautala is now unlikely to retain the seat of LoP.
Notably, the JJP came into existence in last December following a vertical split in the INLD, after a bitter power struggle between Ajay Chautala and Abhay Chautala, the grandsons of Devi Lal, who had founded the party. JJP was floated by Ajay Chautala and his sons-Hisar MP Dushyant and INSO chief Digvijay after the trio were expelled from the INLD. The Chautala family feud had also echoed in Haryana Assembly last month and demand of voting to decide the status of Leader of opposition was raised by both Congress and BJP. However, the issue was put on the backburner after the four JJP supported MLAs had refused to submit it in written about leaving the INLD.
