Kaushik trying to weaken Cong in Haridwar: Paliwal

Tribune News Service

Haridwar, September 10

Congress district unit leaders today alleged that local BJP legislator Madan Kaushik was adopting pressure tactics and illegal means to weaken the party ahead of the Assembly elections.

Dr Sanjay Paliwal alleged that Kaushik had approached senior Congress leaders and activists several times in the past few weeks and tried to lure them into the BJP.

Paliwal said Congress leaders, who met Kaushik at his camp office regarding local, civic or personal matters, were forced to join the BJP to ensure their complaints and woes were addressed.

Notably, Kaushik welcomed two senior leaders into the party fold in the past fortnight, with a special function being organised for the same. But the very next day, the Congress leaders alleged that they had called on Kaushik with regard to some local issues but were secretly photographed while being garlanded by the MLA.

“The photographs were posted on the social media by close associates of the legislator. People misinterpreted that these leaders had left the Congress and joined the BJP. But in reality, the BJP leaders had plotted this to weaken the Congress district unit. Such tactics won’t assure BJP a win in the coming Assembly elections but will instead pave the way for its ouster,” Paliwal added.

Mahangar Congress unit president Anshul Shrikunj said three-time MLA Madan Kaushik was desperately trying to weaken the Congress. His own party leaders were leaving his group and siding with his opponents, which had led him to adopt such low-grade tactics.

“For the past 15 years, Kaushik has failed to bring even a single major development project to the city. Now, people are realising the mistake of electing him thrice in a row as mushrooming of land, property, quarrying and liquor mafia, encroachments and haphazard civic development are the only things which have taken place in the city,” Shrikunj added.