Setback for BJP: Ex-Union Minister Chaudhry Birender Singh, his MLA wife join Congress

Former BJP leaders Chaudhry Birender Singh and his wife Premlata Singh joined the Congress party on Tuesday, a day after resigning from the BJP. Their son and former BJP leader Brijendra Singh had joined the Congress recently. Prem Lata Singh is a former BJP MLA from Haryana, while Birender Singh served as Union Minister in the first Modi Cabinet.  

Birender Singh joined the BJP nearly 10 years ago after over four-decade stint with Congress. After his son joined the Congress on March 10, there was speculation that Birender Singh would follow suit.

Birender Singh was the Union steel minister in the first government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 
He also held charge as minister of rural development, Panchayati Raj, and drinking water and sanitation. During the agitation against the now-repealed farm laws, Birender Singh had extended his support to the farmers. Birender Singh -- who also served as a minister in the Congress government led by Hooda in Haryana -- is the grandson of Sir Chhotu Ram, considered as a "messiah of farmers". 

Asked why he quit the BJP, Birender Singh said he had been with the Congress for 42 years but left to join the saffron party in 2014 due to "certain reasons". "When I joined BJP, I knew the ideology of this party would be different and there would be some differences between the ideologies of the two parties. Later on, I experienced that there was a wider gap," he said. 

"During my political career, I connected with people who remained dedicated supporters," said Singh, indicating that this was not recognised by the BJP in the manner it should have been. On the farmers' agitation, Birender Singh said he had raised the issue on party platforms and urged that their grievances be resolved. "I felt that while I was giving suggestions, those were not being heeded." 

Birender Singh said he also felt the BJP should have heeded his suggestion to snap ties with the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) several months ago and added that the decision should not have been delayed. "I had said that if the BJP continued to have an alliance with the JJP, then Birender Singh would not be part of the BJP," he added. 

Birender Singh's son Brijendra Singh is the Congress party's candidate for the Hisar Lok Sabha seat in Haryana.

(With inputs from PTI)