Kuldeep Bishnoi trades fire with Cong leaders, but takes his time leaving

Angry over Bishnoi defying party orders during the recent Rajya Sabha polls, contributing to a major embarrassment for it, the Congress had removed him from all positions.

Congress rebel MLA Kuldeep Bishnoi with his supporters. (Image: Facebook)

Even as the war of words between the Congress and its rebel MLA, Kuldeep Bishnoi, worsens, the latter is biding his time, retaining his connection with the party for all official purposes.

Angry over Bishnoi defying party orders during the recent Rajya Sabha polls, contributing to a major embarrassment for it, the Congress had removed him from all positions, including in the Congress Working Committee. Since then, Bishnoi has taken a swipe against rivals within the party, with the latter replying in kind.

Only in Express | Kuldeep Bishnoi interview

In an interview to The Indian Express, Bishnoi called the appointment of Udai Bhan, a loyalist of Bhupinder Singh Hooda, as Congress Haryana president “an utter disaster”. Bhan hit back saying “the electorate gives a slap to those who do not value their votes, and in the coming 2024 Assembly polls of Haryana, we shall see who gets this slap”. Bhan also accused Bishnoi of opposing his candidature for Haryana president as he is a Dalit.

Story continues below this ad

Bishnoi has been sulking ever since Bhan was appointed, making no bones about his ambitions to become Haryana president, or his anger at being sidelined by the Hooda camp. Bishnoi was not even considered for the post of four working presidents. In the interview to The Indian Express, he also attacked Rahul Gandhi, calling him “an inaccessible leader who takes decisions under pressure”.

However, nearly 10 days after the Congress action against him – for voting for the BJP-backed Independent Kartikeya Sharma instead of party candidate Ajay Maken – and promising to announce his “next course of action” soon, Bishnoi is yet to reveal his cards. While speculation has been rife that Bishnoi would join the BJP, his Twitter handle still displays pictures of his father Bhajan Lal with former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, as well as of Bishnoi with Rahul and Sonia Gandhi.

Must read | Decks cleared for Kuldeep’s Cong exit as BJP eyes Raj Bishnois

His close aides said Bishnoi, who has taken many political turns in his career, is weighing his options between the BJP and Aam Aadmi Party. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and BJP state president Om Prakash Dhankar, besides many other senior party leaders, have openly welcomed Bishnoi. Apart from his political lineage, Bishnoi also brings to the table two terms as a Lok Sabha MP and is currently into his fourth stint as an MLA.

As the silence from Bishnoi’s end stretches, Hooda recently challenged that if he was so confident of his supporters, he should resign and contest a bypoll to prove it. True to form, Bishnoi replied saying: “Hooda should know that Bhajan Lal’s family has contested and won four bypolls, and all were against the then governments. Hooda should rather try to contest against me or my son Bhavya Bishnoi.”

Tejashwi’s Bihar election promise — ‘Will bin Waqf law if INDIA bloc comes to power’

Cities2 hr ago

Tejashwi Yadav, leader of RJD, vows to revoke Waqf Act in Bihar if elected, citing it as a threat to Constitutional equality. He criticizes CM Nitish Kumar for aligning with BJP and RSS and emphasizes the need for development in Seemanchal region. Yadav accuses BJP of using agencies to intimidate him and promises job creation for all households in Bihar.

View all shorts

Live Blog

PHOTOS