Kiran Choudhry resigns from Haryana Assembly, likely to be BJP’s nominee for RS seat

Chandigarh, Aug 20 (IANS) Four-time Congress legislator Kiran Choudhry, who joined the BJP along with her daughter Shruti Choudhry in June, on Tuesday resigned from the Haryana legislative Assembly and is likely to be the party’s nominee for the lone Rajya Sabha seat in Haryana.

Assembly Speaker Gyan Chand Gupta has accepted her resignation.

The Rajya Sabha seat was vacated by Congress leader Deepender Hooda on being elected as a Member of the Lower House on June 4.

It is learnt the BJP could announce Kiran’s name after the legislature party meeting called in Chandigarh later in the day.

Kiran Choudhry, who was elected as MLA of the Congress from Tosham in Bhiwani in 2019, is the daughter-in-law of former Haryana chief minister Bansi Lal.

Kiran resigned from the primary membership of the Congress, saying the state unit of the party was being run as a “personal fiefdom”, indirectly referring to former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda.

With the last date for filing nomination for the Rajya Sabha bypoll being August 21, the main Opposition Congress has decided not to field any candidate, citing lack of majority in the House of 90.

To win the seat, a candidate requires the support of 44 legislators. At present, the House strength has been reduced to 87.

With the switch of loyalty by Kiran, the Congress has 28 MLAs. Three Independents have extended their support to the Congress, increasing its number to 31.

The BJP has 41 legislators. With the support of the Haryana Lokhit Party’s lone legislator, Gopal Kanda, Independent Nayan Pal Rawat their tally reaches 43.

Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) legislators Ram Niwas Surjakhera and Jogi Ram Sihag had supported BJP candidates in the Lok Sabha polls.

If they also extend support to the BJP’s Rajya Sabha candidate, the party’s tally would reach 45.

The Congress has petitioned Speaker Gupta for the disqualification of Kiran, while the JJP has sought the disqualification of Surjakhera and Sihag. Both cases are still pending.

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