BJP MP Brijendra Singh on Sunday resigned from the party due to some "compelling political reasons" and joined the Congress. Singh, the son of former union minister Birender Singh, had won from the Hisar Lok Sabha seat in 2019.
This time, however, it was speculated that he might be denied a ticket to re-contest. Brijendra Singh comes from an influential Jat family and his exit may hurt the BJP, which is already facing protests from farmers. While Singh's exit may not impact much in the parliamentary elections, it would certainly reflect in the assembly elections, to be held later this year.
"I have resigned from the primary membership of BJP, due to compelling political reasons," the Hisar MP said. "I extend gratitude to the party, National President Sh. JP Nadda, Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi, & Sh Amit Shah for giving me the opportunity to serve as the Member of Parliament for Hisar."
Brijendra Singh's father Birender Singh joined the BJP in August 2014. Birender Singh, an influential Jat leader in Haryana, served as Minister of Panchayati Raj from November 2014 to July 2016, and then as Minister of Steel from July 2016 to April 2019.
In 2019, Brijendra Singh defeated JJP's Dushyant Chautala and Bhavya Bishnoi, who was then with the Congress, to win the Hisar Lok Sabha seat. Brijendra Singh is the great-grandson of prominent Jat leader Sir Chhotu Ram. In October last year, Birender Singh had served an ultimatum to the BJP, virtually threatening to quit if the party continued its alliance with the JJP, which he accused of indulging in rampant corruption, in Haryana.
The BJP has formed a coalition government in Haryana with the JJP headed by Dushyant Chautala. In June last year, JJP said it was preparing to contest all the 10 Lok Sabha seats and 90 assembly constituencies. BJP and JJP had entered into a post-poll alliance after the 2019 assembly elections to form the government.
BJP had secured 40 seats while JJP had won 10 in the 90-member House. The saffron party had won all the 10 Lok Sabha seats in 2019. JJP leader and Haryana minister Devinder Singh Babli said his party will hold rallies in all the 10 parliamentary constituencies in Haryana in the coming weeks as the party plans to intensify its public outreach in the state.