8 former mins, ex-MLAs join Congress under Hooda

chandigarh: PDP The Congress got a major shot in the arm on Monday as eight former MLAs and ex ministers joined the party under the leadership of former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Haryana Congress President Chaudhary Udaybhan. Congress Rajya sabha MP Deepender Singh Hooda played a big part in getting these leaders to join the Congress party.

These include Sharda Rathore, Ram Niwas Ghodela, Naresh Selwal, Parminder Singh Dhul, Jile Ram Sharma, Rakesh Kamboj, Rajkumar Valmiki and Subhash Chaudhary. Along with them, Kishanlal Panchal has also left the LSP and joined the Congress.

On this occasion, Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Chaudhary Udaybhan welcomed all the leaders and their workers to the Congress. "It is clear from these joining that the public sentiments are with the Congress. Congress is getting a strong response from the public as it is the only option for the future. The party is on a comeback," said Hooda. The introduction of the leaders who joined Congress is as follows-

Sharda Rathore was MLA from Ballabhgarh seat of Faridabad district from 2005 to 2009. She left the Congress party and joined the BJP in August 2019. In the 2009 assembly elections, Ram Niwas Ghodela contested as an independent candidate and stood third with 17,471 votes. Naresh Selwal was elected MLA in 2009 from Uklana in Hisar district.

Parminder Singh Dhull was elected MLA on INLD ticket from Julana seat of Jind district in 2009 and 2014. Pt. Jile Ram Sharma was MLA from Assandh seat of Karnal district in 2009. Rakesh Kamboj was MLA from Indri seat of Karnal district in 2005.

Rajkumar Valmiki, son of Shri Das Ram Valmiki, was the secretary of the Youth Congress from 1985 to 1991. Subhash Chaudhary is a former minister and was elected from Jagadhri assembly constituency

from 1996 to 2000. Kishan Lal Panchal is State President Loktantra Suraksha Party,

contested LS polls from Rohtak in 2019.