Haryana Assembly Election 2024: Kumari Selja rubbishes claims of joining BJP, to hit campaign trail in coming days

New Delhi: Keeping herself out of electioneering in Haryana over the past ten days following differences over candidate selection, sulking Congress leader Kumari Selja, on Monday, said she would campaign for the party in the coming days while rubbishing the BJP's invite to join their party.

However, the Sirsa MP did not hide her displeasure with the leadership over ignoring her suggestions during the candidate selection process, and the preference bete noire Bhupinder Hooda gets from them.

While she did not spell out her campaign programme, senior party colleague Randeep Surjewala, who is another Hooda detractor, posted on 'X' that Selja would campaign in the Narwana assembly seat on September 26.

Incidentally, there was speculation that Selja would return to the campaign trail on Monday itself by attending Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's two rallies in Ambala. However the latter cancelled his programmes after doctors advised him to rest. It was not clear whether Selja had given her nod to attend the rally.

Since September 12, Selja was not seen in campaigns while her social media interactions were also minimal, which prompted the BJP to go on an offensive against the Congress and invite her to the saffron party.

In her first public comments after Union Minister M L Khattar's invite, Selja told in an event organised by Aaj Tak, “BJP is spreading confusion. I cannot think of leaving Congress. Congress’ blood runs through my veins. I am in Congress and I am not going anywhere. Just as my father passed away wrapped in the tricolour. I will go wrapped in that same tricolour one day.”

She said she could not campaign earlier due to “problems with choppers” but would be campaigning soon.

Insisting that she has always got respect in the Congress, she said her disappointment is less. “The situation for Congress in Haryana is not of disappointment," she said, adding that the party High Command will choose the Chief Minister, in apparent rejection of unofficial projection of Hooda as the Chief Ministerial face.

Selja chose to dismiss suggestions that the infighting had impacted Congress' prospects saying that the party is moving forward.

She also made it clear that she wanted to fight from Uklana in the assembly elections but was denied a ticket. However, she said it doesn’t mean her existence in politics ends there as there will be more opportunities in the future.

Assembly Elections 2024 | In the first assembly polls since the Lok Sabha elections, Narendra Modi and the BJP face a rejuvenated and vindicated Opposition in the Haryana assembly polls. Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir is voting after almost a decade and it remains to be seen how the abrogation of Article 370 has impacted the political landscape of the Valley. Track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.