"Selja toh Congressi hai; I'm not upset with party": Kumari Selja debunks rumours of joining BJP

New Delhi [India], October 4 : Congress MP Kumari Selja reiterated her commitment to the party, scotching speculation of her joining the Bharatiya Janata Party, and said, "Selja toh Congressi hai," adding that she is not upset with the party.
Speaking on whether a Dalit leader is being neglected in Congress, the Sirsa MP said that every community has its own expectations; all of this is part of politics.
"Nobody can be the whole and sole leader of someone, but the community watches what happens with their leader...So, every community has its expectations. All of this is part of politics. Joining is also part of politics...Selja kabhi nahi gayi, na jaati hai...Why would Selja go? Delhi is a hub where a lot of illogical things go around...But people of my state know me well...Selja toh Congressi hai. I am not upset with Congress," Selja said in an interview with ANI.
"I am not upset with Congress. A lot of discussions happen, and several situations come up...These keep happening... Sammaan toh hai. There is no doubt about it. There is position, there is respect. Many a time, some things happen that make people feel that full respect wasn't accorded...Politics is the game of perception...Nobody can get 100 per cent tickets, it would not have been possible...It is the party's internal matter...I too am a part of the party and so are others," she added.
Earlier during the election campaign, some BJP leaders had ignited speculation of her leaving the Congress, claiming that the party was not giving due respect to her.
When asked about Ashok Tanwar, who rejoined Congress amid rumours of infighting in the party, the Congress MP said that she knew about the decision. "I was already told about it," Selja said.
Tanwar was the Congress MP from Sirsa after he won in the 2009 general elections.
He joined the BJP ahead of the 2024 general elections and contested from Sirsa but lost to Congress' Kumari Selja from the seat.
Tanwar rejoined the Congress at party leader Rahul Gandhi's rally at Haryana's Mahendragarh on Friday.
Confirming her confidence in the work Congress has done ahead of the elections, Selja said, "The situation of Congress is really good right now. Work has been done, Rahul Gandhi has also worked, and the Congress president also visited Haryana. Rahul's yatra really made a difference."
Haryana will go to the polls on October 5 to elect its 90-member state legislative assembly, with counting set to take place on October 8. In the 2019 elections, the BJP emerged as the single largest party, securing 40 seats, while Congress won 30 seats.