In a significant political development, Congress national secretary Tejinder Singh Bittu, known for his proximity to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Karamjit Kaur Chaudhary, the wife of late Congress MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary, have resigned from the grand old party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday.
Bittu, who also served as the co-incharge of the Congress in Himachal Pradesh, tendered his resignation from the party shortly before formally joining the BJP. Accompanying him was Karamjit Kaur Chaudhary, who faced a personal tragedy when her husband, Santokh Singh Chaudhary, passed away due to a heart attack during the Congress’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in Punjab.
Karamjit Kaur Chaudhary had contested as the Congress candidate in last year’s bypoll for the Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat, which became vacant following her husband’s demise. However, she faced defeat against Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Sushil Kumar Rinku, who also joined the BJP on Saturday.
During a press conference announcing their induction into the BJP, Bittu, a seasoned Congress veteran of 35 years, expressed a sense of “suffocation” within the party. He cited internal discord, asserting that various power centers within the Congress operate independently, hindering effective coordination. Bittu also criticized the Congress’s governance in Punjab, emphasizing his belief that only Prime Minister Narendra Modi could propel the state forward.
Meanwhile, Karamjit Kaur Chaudhary accused the Congress of neglecting the sacrifice made by her late husband and urged the party’s top leadership to reflect on its operational methods. The departure of Bittu and Chaudhary from the Congress is perceived as a substantial blow to the party, especially in Punjab, where it faces formidable competition from the AAP and the BJP-led alliance. Conversely, the BJP is likely to interpret these defections as a strengthening of its position in a state where it has historically struggled to gain significant ground.
Political analysts view these defections as indicative of the growing disillusionment within the Congress ranks and the party’s inability to retain leaders and workers, particularly those with widespread appeal and organizational prowess. With the entry of Bittu and Chaudhary into the BJP, the political landscape in Punjab is poised for potential shifts in electoral dynamics in the forthcoming elections.
