Haryana: Birender Singh celebrates his 50 years in politics, but no BJP leader except his son attend event

UCHANA/JIND : To celebrate his 50 years in politics, former Union minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stalwart Birender Singh held his much-touted event, but without using BJP flags or photos of any party leader, in Rajiv Gandhi College of Uchana Kalan town in Jind district.
Leaders from different political parties were invited, however, no present BJP MLA or MP, excluding his own son, Hisar BJP MP Brijendra Singh, attended the event.
Instead of party symbols, Birender Singh used Bheem Rao Ambedkar and martyr Bhagat Singh’s photos in his event, just as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) did in Punjab. Even deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala, who organised a marathon meeting recently in Uchana Kalan focused on Bhagat Singh. Haryana leaders have been seen highlighting Bheem Rao Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh’s ideology after Punjab poll result.
Birender and his son Brijendra have been canvassing in Haryana for the event for the last one month, but failed to gather sufficient crowd. Around 6,000 chairs were set up, but half of them remained empty till the end of the event. There were less than 100 women attending the event.
Sources said Birender was feeling let down with the BJP, as he was expecting a cabinet berth for his son. There was speculations that Birender would announce his further course of action during the event, but he just announced that he would now travel across the state to unite farmers and labourers.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha member and Haryana incharge Sushil Gupta, former education minister and BJP leader Ram Bilash Sharma, former minister and BJP leader Vipul Goyal, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) lone MLA from Ellenabad, Abhay Singh Chautala, Congress leader and former MLA Bharat Singh Beniwal, former MLA Kulwant Singh Bazigar, Subhash Batra, Ram Majra, Krishan Murti Hooda, Rao Narbir Singh, Sanyukt Kisan Morcha leader Yudhvir Singh and former MLA Parminder Singh Dhull attended the event.
AAP’s Sushil Gupta said AAP would welcome Birender Singh if he wished to join. He said the time had come for a change and advised him to take a decision to join hands with them. After the event, Gupta told the media that they would not offer a CM post or any other post to Birender, but the party would welcome him as he has a clean image.
Addressing the gathering, Birender said, “I spoke in favour of farmers’ agitation and the party took it as indiscipline, but such parties cannot perform well in future . . . Now politics is completely corrupt — election tickets are being sold in crores of rupees. Such scenes were witnessed in Uttar Pradesh elections as well, but I can’t reveal their names at this stage. ” He stated that Gupta asked him to join AAP and their party would welcome as well, but “I do not need any welcome, I need taste of power (‘welcome ka kya karunga swad aana chahiye raajneeti me’).
INLD MLA Abhay urged Birender to form a third front to defeat the ruling party, as he has the capability to take all leaders along with them.