Former Haryana MP Avtar Singh Bhadana quits Congress

CHANDIGARH: Former Lok Sabha member from Haryana Avtar Singh Bhadana today resigned from Congress, expressing "unhappiness" over the way the party is functioning in the state.

Bhadana, who lost the last Lok Sabha elections from his traditional Faridabad seat to BJP's Krishan Pal Gujjar, sent his resignation to Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

"I have resigned from the Congress as I was unhappy the way things are going on in the party," he told PTI over phone.

The 56-year-old former MP said he had apprised the party high command of the activities going on in Congress in Haryana. "People within Congress worked against the party nominee (himself) in the (Faridabad) Lok Sabha seat," he said, adding that he had earlier sought action against those who worked against him ahead of Lok Sabha polls.

He also criticised Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda for his style of functioning. "Under the leadership of Hooda, the Congress in Haryana is on verge of extinction," he said.

Of late, Bhadana had been vocal against Hooda's policies and programmes. "I was waiting that after getting feedback from me the Congress president will take some action, but nothing was done," he said.

Asked about his next course of action, he said that he would seek opinion from his supporters and then decide his next line of action. On being asked whether he is going to join Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), he said that everything will be clear within a couple of days. "Time has now come to serve Haryana," he added.