In a set back to the ruling party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the run-up to November 3 Baroda assembly bypoll, Parminder Dhull—a two time MLA from Julana assembly seat quit BJP against farm bills.
Addressing a press conference at Jind, Parminder Dhull said he had resigned from the primary membership of the saffron party. “I am quitting the BJP as farmers are my top priority. I am a farmer first then a politician. I had joined the BJP, ahead of assembly elections in 2019, hoping that the party would implement the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission and ensure monthly pension to farmers and labourers. However, far from implementing the recommendations, the Union government has passed three laws that are equivalent to death warrants for farmers,” he said.
Parminder Dhull said he had written an open letter to Haryana chief minister (CM) Manohar Lal Khattar saying that he had failed to stand by farmers.
“The CM has no concern for the farmers. I will campaign against the BJP in the Baroda constituency for enacting the laws. This is the time to save our farming community,” he said.
Dhull, who was elected to the assembly in 2009 and 2014 on the INLD ticket had unsuccessfully contested 2019 assembly election on BJP ticket. He said, that he would campaign against the anti farmers’ policies of the BJP in the upcoming Baroda bypoll. Recently, former Radaur MLA and BJP leader Shyam Singh Rana had also quit the party over the farm laws and switched over to the INLD in the presence of party patriarch Om Prakash Chautala and his son Abhay Singh Chautala.
