JJP leaders Kamlesh Saini, Nishan Singh quits party

JJP leaders Kamlesh Saini, Nishan Singh quits party

In a setback to the party just before the Lok Sabha polls, Jannayak Janta Party's general secretary Kamlesh Saini and Haryana unit chief Nishan Singh on Monday quit the party.

Another JJP leader, Mamata Kataria, former JJP state women secretary, said she has also quit the party.

The developments have come as a big blow to the five-and-a-half-year-old party, which recently separated from the BJP, and had announced to put up its candidates for the May 25 Lok Sabha polls from Haryana.

Nishan Singh told the media that he has verbally communicated to his party's senior leadership that he has quit the post he is holding as well as resigned from the party membership.

He did not wish to disclose the reasons for his move.

He said he would be meeting JJP's national president Ajay Singh Chautala in a day or two to hand over his resignation.

Speaking to reporters in Charkhi Dadri, Chautala said that he has learnt about Nishan Singh's move from the media.

I tried to speak to him over the phone, but it was switched off, he said.

''What I came to know through the media is that Nishan Singh has said that he has verbally communicated his decision (to the party leadership) and will formally tender his resignation on meeting me. So, when he meets me, then we will see,'' said Ajay Chautala.

He, however, said that Singh is one of the founder members of the JJP and should not leave the party in the lurch.

On being asked if he would join any other outfit, Singh also said that he would be consulting his supporters to decide on a future course of action.

Singh had been associated with Indian National Lok Dal earlier and after the party's vertical split, he became part of the JJP, which came into existence in December 2018.

Meanwhile, in her resignation letter to JJP's national president Ajay Singh Chautala, Saini wrote, ''I am resigning from the primary membership of the JJP and from all the posts I hold''.

When contacted, Saini said that she has taken the decision keeping in view the sentiments and feedback from her supporters.

When asked what will be her next course of action and whether she would join any other political outfit, Saini, who is also Chairperson, Municipal Council, Narnaul, said, ''This decision too will be taken after consulting my supporters and the people''.

Polling for ten Lok Sabha seats in Haryana will be held in the sixth phase of general elections on May 25.

JJP's top leadership had recently said that it will field its candidates in these polls. JJP was earlier an alliance partner of the BJP in Haryana.

The BJP last month replaced Manohar Lal Khattar with Nayab Singh Saini as Haryana's chief minister and after this development took place, the JJP made it clear that it would not be part of the new government formation.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)