Two More Senior Leaders Quit, May Join SP

Just months ahead of the 2022 Uttar Pradesh state assembly elections, the political exodus seems unending for Congress as two more senior leaders announced their separation from the party on Tuesday. Considered a close aide of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Harendra Malik along with State Vice President and former MLA Pankaj Malik resigned from the party on a day when Priyanka announced 40% tickets to women in the party for 2022 UP Polls. The exit of Harendra and Pankaj is being seen as a big setback for the party.

The father-son duo has not said anything about their next move but speculations are rife that they may join the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party soon. The Malik family hails from Muzaffarnagar district of Western Uttar Pradesh and it is being speculated that they may join SP in presence of Yadav on October 22, the day when the latter is scheduled to address a huge rally.

After resigning from the Congress party, while speaking to the media, Harendr accused people close to Priyanka of hijacking the party. Priyanka was to start the Pratigya Yatra from Saharanpur from October 17. But this program could not start due to lack of support from the Congress leaders of the area. Meanwhile, speculations were already rife about Congress leader Imran Masood also switching over to SP before 2022 elections. Masood had recently given a statement in favour of SP and said that only Samajwadi Party can defeat BJP in UP.

Harendra started his political career with former RLD Chief Chaudhary Ajit Singh; at that time he was in Janata Dal. Malik became MLA for the first time from Khatauni in 1989 on a Janata Dal ticket. After this, he was elected MLA from the Lok Dal from Baghra seat of Muzaffarnagar. Later, he switched over to Samajwadi Party, post which he became a Rajya Sabha MP from Haryana from the Indian National Lok Dal. Later on he went to Congress and contested the last Lok Sabha elections from Kairana but lost. His son Pankaj has been MLA twice. Harendra has sent his resignation to Sonia Gandhi and Pankaj has sent his resignation to the UP Congress President.

Many senior Congress leaders including Jitin Prasada, Lalitesh Pati Tripathi, Jyotiraditya Schindia, Sushmita Dev, etc. have recently resigned from the Congress and switched over to other parties. The one thing that was common in most of the defections was the allegations of being sidelined and ignored in the party. Also many senior Congress leaders have expressed their concern regarding the behavior of people close to Priyanka Gandhi.