Chandigarh: Former Union minister Birender Singh, one of the tallest Jat leaders, and his ex-MLA wife returned to Congress on Tuesday around 24 hours after both quit BJP following a 10-year stint.
“It not just a homecoming but a return to ideologies that I have always stood and fought for,’’ said the 78-year-old as he and his wife Prem Lata formally joined Congress in a well-attended ceremony held at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi.
During his 15-minutes address, the five-time MLA and three-time member of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha elaborated upon his experiences in BJP — he had joined the party in 2014 and was a Union minister in both first and second term of PM Narendra Modi — and in Congress, a party he was associated with for 40 years.
Taking a dig at BJP leaders and their attitude towards farmers and the poor, Birender said they had no concern with farmers. “Despite 31 years of economic reforms, the poor and farmers have not received any benefits. BJP is miles away from the reality concerning farmers. I have closely seen their love for farmers and the poor. Their only concern is about cosmetic affairs, like actors who shed tears after applying glycerine,’’ he said, adding people should not expect anything from them. Singh was the only BJP minister to speak up for farmers during their first round of protests against the now-repealed farm laws. His son Brijendra Singh, who recently joined Congress after quitting BJP, had expressed solidarity with women wrestlers from Haryana during their agitation against former minister Brij Bhushan Sharan.
Birender, the grandson of Sir Chhotu Ram, urged all those present to fight to save the Constitution and democratic institutions.
He and his wife were accompanied by hundreds of supporters. They took primary membership of the party in the presence of AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik. The event brought all the warring factions of Haryana Congress on one platform.
Besides CLP leader and former CM Bhupinder Hooda and HPCC president Udai Bhan, prominent among those present at the event included AICC general secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Singh Surjewala, AICC general secretary Selja, All India OBC Morcha head Ajay Singh Yadav, former minister and former CLP leader Kiran Choudhry, former Punjab deputy CM Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and Birender Singh’s son Brijendra. Prominent among those who addressed the meeting included Wasnik, Hooda and Surjewala.
“It not just a homecoming but a return to ideologies that I have always stood and fought for,’’ said the 78-year-old as he and his wife Prem Lata formally joined Congress in a well-attended ceremony held at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi.
During his 15-minutes address, the five-time MLA and three-time member of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha elaborated upon his experiences in BJP — he had joined the party in 2014 and was a Union minister in both first and second term of PM Narendra Modi — and in Congress, a party he was associated with for 40 years.
Taking a dig at BJP leaders and their attitude towards farmers and the poor, Birender said they had no concern with farmers. “Despite 31 years of economic reforms, the poor and farmers have not received any benefits. BJP is miles away from the reality concerning farmers. I have closely seen their love for farmers and the poor. Their only concern is about cosmetic affairs, like actors who shed tears after applying glycerine,’’ he said, adding people should not expect anything from them. Singh was the only BJP minister to speak up for farmers during their first round of protests against the now-repealed farm laws. His son Brijendra Singh, who recently joined Congress after quitting BJP, had expressed solidarity with women wrestlers from Haryana during their agitation against former minister Brij Bhushan Sharan.
Birender, the grandson of Sir Chhotu Ram, urged all those present to fight to save the Constitution and democratic institutions.
He and his wife were accompanied by hundreds of supporters. They took primary membership of the party in the presence of AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik. The event brought all the warring factions of Haryana Congress on one platform.
Besides CLP leader and former CM Bhupinder Hooda and HPCC president Udai Bhan, prominent among those present at the event included AICC general secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Singh Surjewala, AICC general secretary Selja, All India OBC Morcha head Ajay Singh Yadav, former minister and former CLP leader Kiran Choudhry, former Punjab deputy CM Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and Birender Singh’s son Brijendra. Prominent among those who addressed the meeting included Wasnik, Hooda and Surjewala.
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