Haryana Power Minister Ajay Yadav resigns; alleges government 'bias' in several matters

Haryana Power Minister Ajay Yadav resigned here today from the Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Congress ministry alleging "bias" in several matters including recruitment and induction of members to various commissions and statutory bodies.

Yadav told PTI here that he has sent his resignation to Hooda.

The six-time Congress MLA from Rewari said he would, however, remain in the Congress party.

Yadav said the Congress won only one seat in the state in the recent Lok Sabha elections, but has "failed to learn any lessons."

"Somebody has to bell the cat. And I decided to take the step (resign)," he said.

Asked about the response of Hooda to his resignation, Yadav said the chief minister had asked him to reconsider, but he declined.

"I am waiting for the Congress high command to take a decision," Yadav said.

Asked if he had raised the issues at various Cabinet meetings, Yadav said that the cabinet meetings are restricted to the agenda.

"I had detailed the reasons for the party's defeat before the Antony Panel," he added.

Yadav said he will soon meet the party High Command. "I want respect. If that is not given what else can I do," he said.

"I had to make the sacrifice of resigning under compulsion when the bias in matters of development, recruitment, induction of members of various commissions (RTI, RTS) and other statutory bodies, domination of the bureaucracy and neglect of party cadres, including MLAs continued and the party failed to learn any lessons from the Lok Sabha debacle," he said.

He also opposed the induction of two members to State Information Commission and three to Right to Service Commission, on which a row has already broken out due to the the five members being administered oath by Hooda on Sunday against the earlier practice of a state Governor administering the same to these appointees.

Yadav said that only bureaucrats have been inducted as members. "Didn't they (government) see any politician or other persons? If the posts had been given to party cadres it would have been better," he said. 

Yadav claimed that the development and other activities in the state had been confined to a couple of districts, which he did not name.

"It was essential for me to resign to give a message so that the party does not face the same situation in forthcoming assembly elections which it faced in the recent Lok Sabha elections," he said.

Asked about reorganisation of the state unit of the Congress and appointment of youth leader as HPCC President, Yadav said, "Ashok Tanwar should work independently. He should take all leaders along in order to strengthen the party." On reports that another senior leader Birendar Singh was also unhappy with the state leadership and that he may switch over to BJP, Yadav said that if that happens it will certainly be a loss for the party.

Yadav further claimed a medical college proposed to be set up under the PPP mode in his area had remained on paper only.

"No further action has been taken in the matter," he said, adding, there were various other instances reflecting bias of the state government in carrying out developmental; works, recruitment to various departments, among others.