Sat Sep 07 11:44:49 UTC 2024: ## Haryana Election: BJP Faces Rebellion as Leaders Quit Over Ticket Denial, Congress Also Hit by Internal Feuds
**Chandigarh:** The upcoming Haryana Assembly elections are heating up with a wave of defections and internal conflicts within both the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress.
The BJP, facing a tough challenge after losing five Lok Sabha seats to the Congress in 2023, has been hit by a string of resignations from its leaders who were denied tickets for the upcoming elections.
Former Haryana minister Bachan Singh Arya, hoping for a ticket from Safidon, quit the party after the BJP fielded a JJP rebel in his place. His resignation follows the exit of two other ministers, Ranjit Singh Chautala and Bishamber Singh Valmiki, along with MLA Lakshman Napa, who were all denied tickets.
Key OBC leader Karan Dev Kamboj also resigned from all BJP posts, accusing the party of favoring recent recruits over loyalists.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, however, insists that there is no scope for changing candidates and that the party will persuade those who are upset.
Meanwhile, the Congress also suffered a setback with the resignation of senior leader Rajesh Joon, who was denied a ticket from Bahadurgarh. Joon accused the Congress leadership of breaking a promise and said he will contest as an Independent.
The Congress, which recently inducted wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia into the party, faces internal friction with another leader, Kapoor Singh Narwal, also considering contesting as an Independent after being denied a ticket in Baroda.
With the elections drawing closer, both the BJP and the Congress are facing internal turmoil, threatening to disrupt their respective campaigns. The farmers’ protests, wrestlers’ agitation, and concerns over the Agnipath scheme pose further challenges to the BJP, while the Congress is battling internal discord.
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