Congress Dalit Leader Kumari Selja Gets Invite From Khattar To Join BJP Ahead Of Haryana Polls

New Delhi: Amid reports of rift in the Congress over ticket distribution in Haryana , party leader and key dalit face Kumari Selja, whose name is being pushed by a section of Congress workers for the Chief Minister's face if the 'Grand Old Party' wins the Assembly polls, has been invited by the BJP to join them, as per sources.

Union Minister and former Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has asked senior Congress leader and MP Kumari Selja, a prominent Dalit face, to join the saffron party, amid reports that she was staying away from the campaign for the October 5 Haryana assembly polls.

Khattar also pointed towards the alleged infighting in the state unit of Congress ahead of the assembly polls.

Addressing a poll rally in Gharaunda in support of BJP nominee Harvinder Kalyan, Manohar Lal Khattar said, “There is so much infighting there (in Haryana Congress ) and there is no clarity about their chief ministerial face. There is a fight between the father and the son (Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Deepender Hooda). The father says he will become the CM while son says he will. Besides them, other leaders also have desire (for the CM post).”

"There is our Dalit sister... sitting at home. A large section of people are today thinking about what they should do. Many people were upset with them and we brought them into the party fold. We are ready with an offer and if (she) comes, we are ready to induct her," Khattar said.

Is Selja joining BJP , Khattar Asked

Later, when the media asked about whether Kumari Selja will join the BJP , Khattar replied, "It is a world of possibilities and possibilities cannot be ruled out and therefore, everything will be known when the right time comes." The BJP has been targeting the Congress over the alleged factionalism issue in its state unit.

A few days ago, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram had said that there was no dissidence in the Haryana Congress.

"My good friend (Kumari) Selja ji has not said a single word against Mr (Bhupinder Singh) Hooda, nor has Mr Hooda said a word against Ms Selja. So we are a united party. We will fight this election in a united manner," Chidambaram had said.