Congress faced yet ar setback ahead of Haryana assembly elections after party's state women's wing chief Sumitra Chouhan submitted her resignation and joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday. Sumitra Chouhan who was Haryana Pradesh Mahila Congress chief joined BJP in presence of Haryana BJP chief Subash Barala.

Resigning from Congress party, Chouhan gave reason that she was "totally disheartened and utterly devastated" by party's stand on recent decisions taken by Modi government including  'triple talaq' and abrogation of provisions of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. She said that Congress' stand on issues are against sentiments of citizens of India. 

READ | Congress Replaces State Unit Leader With Selja For Haryana Elections

" stand of Congress on se issues has totally gone against sentiments of people," Sumitra Chouhan said. She also expressed happiness with current Chief Minister Mahar Lal Khattar-led BJP government in Haryana. Along with post of Haryana Pradesh Mahila Congress chief, Sumitra Chouhan has also resigned from primary membership of party, following which she was unconditionally inducted into party.

READ | Former Haryana CM Bhupinder Hooda slams Congress leaders for opposing Article 370 revocation, says ' compromise on patriotism'

Kumari Selja new Haryana Congress President

This development has come days after Congress party appointed Kumari Selja was appointed as its Haryana unit chief and former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda was appointed chairperson of election manment committee, in a bid to end factionalism in party's state unit. Congress president Sonia Gandhi also appointed Hooda Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader. Kumari Selja has been MP twice for both Sirsa and Ambala in Haryana. BS Hooda demanded Ashok Tanwar be replaced which led Congress to give Selja position. Hooda served as CM of Haryana from 2005 to 2014.

Haryana elections

Both BJP and Congress party have started preparing for Haryana state elections which are likely to take place later this year. With BJP chief Amit Shah addressing rallies in different regions of Haryana, Congress party has also geared up its preparations with new appointments in state unit. 

READ | Alka Lamba joins Congress after meeting interim-chief Sonia Gandhi

READ | Congress' DK Shivakumar Arrested, Party Youth Wing Gives Full Backing

(With PTI inputs)