Kuldeep Bishnoi's meeting with CM Khattar sparks speculation

Senior Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi’s meeting with Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday (May 19) has triggered speculations over his next move after being ignored in the party’s revamped state unit.

Last month, the Congress appointed former legislator and Bhupinder Singh Hooda loyalist Udai Bhan as the chief of the Haryana state unit. It also named four working presidents. However, Bishnoi, the younger son of former Haryana chief minister, the late Bhajan Lal, did not get any position despite lobbying for a key post.

After this, Bishnoi’s supporters were angry with the Congress. Responding to his supporters, the MLA from Adampur said he was also “angry” like them and urged them to have patience.

“Friends, I am reading all of you messages on social media. I am very emotional to see your immense love. I am also very angry like you. But I request everyone that unless I ask Rahul ji for an answer, we do not have to take any step. If you have affection towards me, then have patience,” he tweeted on April 27.

साथियों, आप सबके संदेश सोशल मीडिया पर पढ़ रहा हूँ। आपका अपार प्यार देख कर मैं अत्यंत भावुक हूँ। आपकी तरह ग़ुस्सा मुझे भी बहुत है।लेकिन मेरी सब से प्रार्थना है कि जब तक मैं राहुल जी से जवाब ना माँग लूँ, हमें कोई कदम नहीं उठाना है।अगर मेरे प्रति आपके मन में स्नेह है तो संयम रखें।🙏

— Kuldeep Bishnoi (@bishnoikuldeep) April 27, 2022

According to reports, Bishnoi is miffed with the party and his meeting with CM Khattar has given rise to speculations on whether he is joining the BJP.

Taking to his Twitter account, the 53-year-old Bishoni said he had met the chief minister to discuss some issues with his constituency and said he was grateful to Khattar.

“There was a detailed positive discussion with the Chief Minister @mlkhattar in Gurugram on political issues including the resolution of the ongoing dharna and other problems regarding the restoration of Adampur Gram Panchayat. I am grateful to him that he gave instructions in front of me, accepting my point regarding the restoration of Adampur Gram Panchayat,” Bishnoi wrote in Hindi along with a picture of him meeting the chief minister.

आदमपुर ग्राम पंचायत बहाली को लेकर चल रहे धरने एवं अन्य समस्याओं के निदान सहित राजनीतिक मुद्दों पर मुख्यमंत्री @mlkhattar जी से गुरुग्राम में विस्तृत सकारात्मक चर्चा हुई। मैं उनका आभारी हूं कि उन्होंने आदमपुर ग्राम पंचायत बहाली को लेकर मेरी बात मानते हुए मेरे सामने निर्देश दिए।🙏 pic.twitter.com/AvlUfTNgQY

— Kuldeep Bishnoi (@bishnoikuldeep) May 19, 2022

In 2007, Bishnoi, who is also a former MP, had quit the Congress and floated his own Haryana Janhit Congress outfit. The move had come after the grand old party handpicked Hooda in 2005 and made him the chief minister overlooking Bhajan Lal, who was a key contender for the top post then.

Bishnoi, a bete noire of Hooda, had stitched an alliance with the BJP, but parted ways just before the 2014 Assembly polls when the saffron outfit contested the election on its own and formed the government. Later, he returned to the Congress fold.

(With inputs from Agencies)