Haryana: Former Kurukshetra MP Kailasho Saini joins Congress

Chandigarh, May 12 (PTI) Former Kurukshetra MP and OBC leader Kailasho Saini joined the Congress in Haryana on Sunday.

Quitting the BJP, Saini joined the Congress in Rohtak in presence of former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and the Congress' state unit chief Udai Bhan.

Several of her supporters also joined the Congress.

Bhupinder Singh Hooda told reporters that Saini, a two-time MP, left the BJP to join the Congress.

The joining of a prominent OBC leader will definitely strengthen the Congress, he said and added, "This will send a big message to the entire Haryana, including Kurukshetra." Saini said she will strongly campaign for the INDIA bloc in Kurukshetra and in other constituencies where the party gives her responsibility.

"The Congress' victory is certain in these Lok Sabha and the upcoming assembly elections," she added.

INDIA bloc partners AAP and the Congress are contesting the elections in an alliance in Haryana. AAP has fielded Sushil Gupta from Kurukshetra while the Congress is contesting the remaining nine seats.

Saini had been the MP from Kurukshetra more than two decades ago when she was with the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD).

Earlier, campaigning in the Rohtak constituency, from where Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda is contesting, Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the grand old party fulfils its promises "while the BJP does exactly the opposite of what it says".

He said the BJP promised to double farmers' income but, on the contrary, increased manifold the cost on farmers.

"The BJP promised to provide homes to the poor but it stopped the Congress' scheme (in Haryana) to allot free plots of 100 square yards (to the poor)," the former chief minister said.

Bhupinder Singh Hooda further said the BJP in Haryana had promised to provide the same payscale to its employees as in Punjab but did not fulfil that promise.

More than two lakh posts are lying vacant in Haryana but the BJP is not ready to talk on unemployment even during the elections, he said.

Haryana's 10 Lok Sabha seats will go to the polls on May 25. PTI SUN SUN SZM