Two-time LS member Choudhary Lal Singh rejoining Congress makes Udhampur-Doda contest interesting
Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls the Congress party has once again shot itself in the foot by inducting firebrand leader Choudhary Lal Singh into the party fold after a gap of 10 years.
Two-time MP, Lal Singh quit the Congress party in 2014 to join the BJP.
However, his stint with the BJP ended in April 2018 when he along with another cabinet minister Chandra Prakash Ganga was shown the exit door for lending support to the agitators seeking a CBI investigation in the Rasana murder and rape case of a nomadic girl.
Singh won the 2004 and 2009 Lok Sabha polls but he was denied a ticket by the Congress party in 2014 forcing him to quit the party and join hands with the BJP.
Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera, Chairman of the Media and Publicity department, Bharat Solanki, AICC in-charge J&K welcomed him at AICC headquarters in New Delhi along with JKPCC leaders on Wednesday.
Soon after images of Lal Singh being garlanded by the senior Congress leaders were uploaded on the social media platforms it triggered a backlash.
The first adverse reaction came from none other than the spokesman of the party founded by Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Lal Singh was denied a party ticket in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and Azad was given the mandate from the Udhampur Doda Lok Sabha seat. Azad lost the election against Dr Jitendra Singh of BJP.
Chief Spokesman of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party Salman Nizami said the Congress party has been exposed as they are now going to support supporters of rapists in the elections.
Utterly shameful for Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi to welcome – Lal Singh who supported the rapists of 8-year-old Asifa. This betrays the core principles and ideology of Congress. It validates our decision to leave a party that harbors supporters of rapists. Shame on you,… pic.twitter.com/AiKwXQsqpR
— Salman Nizami (@SalmanNizami_) March 20, 2024
“BJP had removed Lal Singh for supporting rapists, it’s shameful that Priyanka & Rahul Gandhi who led marches for the victim, have welcomed him into Congress. The Congress is exposed for its ideology by using supporters of rapists in elections. Women’s rights champions who speak out against rape must step forward and speak up now!” Nizami posted on X (earlier Twitter)
JKNC and PDP, constituents of the I.N.D.I.A Bloc in J&K silent so far?
It will be interesting to see the reaction of the constituents of the I.N.D.I.A bloc in Jammu and Kashmir to the entry of Lal Singh into the Congress party.
Till late Wednesday evening, both parties had not reacted to the development.
Welcoming Lal Singh in the party Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee Chief Vikar Rasool Wani posted a message on X saying, “Welcome to Congress family Sher-E-Jammu Ch Lal Singh”.
JKPCC Spokesman Ravinder Sharma said JKPCC welcomes the decision of Congress high command to rejoin firebrand Dogra leader, former JK Minister & two times MP Ch Lal Singh into the party. His entry will further strengthen the party.
Lal Singh is likely to contest against the MoS PMO Dr Jitendra Singh from the Udhampur-Doda Lok Sabha seat.
In all likelihood, the Lok Sabha seat in the Chenab Valley region is set to witness a three-way contest with the entry of DPAP candidate GM Saroori. It would be interesting to see Whether or not the constituents of the I.N.D.I.A bloc would readily transfer their vote bank in favor of Lal Singh and influence the outcome of the poll results.
In 2019 Lal Singh stood at number 4 in the tally of votes from the same Lok Sabha seat. He contested as Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan’s candidate.
The Enforcement Directorate recently arrested Singh in November 2023 in connection with a case against an educational trust run by his wife Kanta Andotra under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Singh was later granted bail in a money laundering case on November 23, 2023.
Welcome to Congress family Sher-E-Jammu Ch Lal Singh.. pic.twitter.com/Pi9TMVeMdw
— Vikar Rasool Wani (@vikar_rasool) March 20, 2024
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