In a surprising move, former Haryana Congress president Ashok Tanwar rejoined the Congress just hours after campaigning for the BJP. Tanwar, who once represented Sirsa in Parliament, had left Congress in 2019 following internal conflicts. Since then, he had briefly joined the Trinamool Congress in 2021, followed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in 2022, and earlier this year, he aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
On the day of his return, Tanwar campaigned for a BJP candidate in Safidon, Jind district. However, during a Congress rally in Mahendergarh, where Rahul Gandhi was speaking, an announcement was made for the audience to stay a few minutes longer. To everyone’s surprise, Tanwar walked onto the stage, where it was declared that “aaj unki ghar vapsi ho gayi hai” (today, he has returned home to Congress).
Tanwar was greeted warmly by Rahul Gandhi and Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who welcomed him back into the party fold. His return comes as a significant boost for the Congress, especially ahead of the Haryana assembly elections. Once a key Congress leader, Tanwar’s return is expected to help the party in consolidating its base in the state.
Tanwar’s political journey has been marked by ups and downs, including a notable victory in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections and successive defeats in 2014 and 2019. His return to Congress signals a renewed focus on rebuilding his influence in Haryana politics.
