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

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

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

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

READ | Former Haryana CM Bhupinder Hooda slams Congress leaders for opposing Article 370 revocation, says 'no compromise on patriotism'

Kumari Selja new Haryana Congress President

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

Haryana elections

Both BJP and Congress party have started preparing for the 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 the state unit. 

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

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(With PTI inputs)