Repent not quitting Hooda Cabinet, says Capt Ajay Yadav

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 28

Former minister Capt Ajay Yadav today said withdrawal of his resignation from the state cabinet was the biggest mistake of his political career.

“Withdrawal of the resignation, which I had tendered to the then Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on principle, was the biggest mistake of my life. I withdrew the resignation on the advice of Congress President Sonia Gandhi and suffered politically. For the first time I lost my assembly seat,” Yadav said. He was speaking on the sidelines of a press conference held in Delhi today to demand a Supreme Court judge led enquiry into the recent Jat agitation in Haryana.

Yadav, a six time former MLA from Rewari, said he had resigned because a large number of segments who formed the majority voters in his assembly constituency, had been ignored employment opportunities.

“I had to pay the price of heeding Sonia Gandhi’s advice. That is not to say I am repenting, but the fact is, I paid a price. I will, however, still obey my leader if she asks me for something,” said Yadav, who lost the last election from Rewari.

On the eve of Lok Sabha polls, Yadav had resigned from the Hooda Cabinet, primarily, because he had been given insignificant portfolios, where he had been promised finance. He had withdrawn his resignation after meeting Sonia Gandhi. He also asked the Centre to send paramilitary forces to Haryana in advance in lieu of Jat leaders’ threat of begin yet another agitation on June 5.