Haryana dy CM converts for 2nd marriage, sacked

CHANDIGARH: Haryana deputy chief minister Chander Mohan turned up on Sunday to announce that he had married his love and to make himself eligible for the second marriage, he had converted to Islam. He is no longer Chander Mohan but Chand Mohammad.

Talking to a Hindi news channel, Mohan, now Mohammad, said: ���Yes, I have married my love Anuradha Bali, alias Fiza, five days back. We have converted to Islam to become eligible for the second marriage. I have changed my name to Chand Mohammad.���

To make a point that it was not material gains that made him change his religion, he was to add: ���I have deep interest in Islam and have read about it thoroughly.��� He may find another point to demonstrate his allegiance to the new faith: Within hours of the announcement, chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda dropped him from his cabinet for absenting from office without information. A Haryana government spokesman said he was dropped from the cabinet as he had not attended office for more than 50 days and had not informed the chief minister.

Mr Mohan is the elder son of Haryana Vikas party chief and former Congress chief minister Bhajan Lal.