Business tycoon and former Congress Member of Parliament, Naveen Jindal, along with independent MLA from Haryana, Ranjit Chautala, officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday. They were swiftly nominated as the BJP's candidates for the Kurukshetra and Hisar Lok Sabha constituencies respectively in the state.
Ranjit Chautala, aged 78, holds a ministerial position in the BJP-led Haryana government. He is the son of former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal and the brother of Indian National Lok Dal chief and former Haryana Chief Minister, Om Prakash Chautala.
Jindal, who previously represented the Kurukshetra constituency in the Lok Sabha as a Congress MP from 2004 to 2014, expressed his commitment to contribute to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Viksit Bharat' (Developed India). His formal induction into the BJP took place at its Delhi office in the presence of the party's general secretary, Vinod Tawde.
Reflecting on the leadership of Prime Minister Modi over the past decade, Jindal praised the country's progress under his tenure, citing significant milestones such as the revocation of Article 370 and the fulfillment of the longstanding aspiration for a Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Tawde highlighted Jindal's multifaceted interests, including his passion for sports and education, and emphasized that his presence within the party would bolster the government's efforts to enhance the nation's economy and prosperity.
Meanwhile, Ranjit Chautala's switch to the BJP was marked by an event in Sirsa, where he officially joined the party in the presence of former MP Ashok Tanwar and other prominent leaders. Tanwar, who recently transitioned from the Aam Aadmi Party to the BJP, has been nominated as the BJP's candidate from Sirsa.
In a statement to PTI in September 2023, Ranjit Chautala expressed his openness to contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha elections if offered a ticket by the BJP, affirming that "politics is the art of the possible."
Chautala recalled being the first to extend unconditional support to the BJP in the aftermath of a majority shortfall. This gesture was significant, especially considering the BJP's alliance with the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) in 2019, which led to the formation of the government in Haryana. However, the alliance dissolved earlier this month.
The political landscape in Haryana has witnessed various shifts, with prominent leaders realigning themselves ahead of the upcoming elections. The BJP's dominance in the region was evident in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections when it secured victory in all 10 seats in Haryana.
Last year, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, accompanied by then Chief Minister M L Khattar and other dignitaries, visited the residence of Ranjit Singh Chautala in Sirsa, further solidifying ties within the political spectrum of the state.
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