Former Congress leader Tajinder Singh Bittu joins BJP

New Delhi: In yet another blow to the Congress party, Tajinder Singh Bittu joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the party headquarters in Delhi on Saturday in the presence of Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and party general secretary Vinod Tawde.
Tajinder Singh Bittu resigned from his post as AICC Secretary-in-Charge of Himachal Pradesh and primary membership Congress party earlier today.
This comes at a crucial time, in the backdrop of Lok Sabha elections being held across the nation. Bittu's exit marks another setback for the Congress party, which has witnessed an exodus of big leaders in the last few weeks.
Speaking after joining the BJP, Tajinder Singh Bittu said that the Congress party has deviated from the issues and that he joined the BJP for the betterment of Punjab.
"I have spent almost 35 years in the Congress Party, and today I feel that the Congress Party has deviated from the issues. I do not want to speak against anyone. For the betterment of Punjab, I joined the BJP," Bittu told ANI.
Ashwini Vaishnaw welcomed Bittu and said that the work done under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is more than the work done in the past 60 years during the Congress government.
"The amount of work done in the last 10 years is more than the work done in the past 60 years. PM Modi is presenting a new model of development in various sectors of every state. Whether its the railway sector, communication, highways, or textiles, in each sector transformation is visible. By seeing these transformations and developments, people have started feeling confident. I welcome Tajinder Singh Bittu ji to the party," Vaishnaw said.
While addressing the press conference, Vinod Tawde hit out at the Congress government in Karnataka over the killing of Neha Hiremath, daughter of Congress Corporator Niranjan Hiremath.
"Neha Hiremath's father, who is the Corporator of the Congress party, alleged that it is a matter of 'love jihad', but the Congress party says that it is a 'love affair.' No matter what the reason is, crime has happened. But the state government is not taking appropriate action in the matter. Their slogan means to protect the vote bank rather than the women of the state," he said.
"There is no religion of crime or criminal. Strict action should be taken in the matter," the BJP general secretary added.
The twenty-four-year-old daughter of a Congress corporator was stabbed to death on the college campus in Hubbali. The victim, Neha Hiremath, daughter of Congress Corporator Niranjan Hiremath, succumbed to multiple stab wounds inflicted by Fayaz, a former friend and classmate who has since been arrested.
However, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the Hubballi campus murder occurred due to personal reasons. The CM added that the law and order situation in Karnataka is good and that it is their duty to maintain it.
"Whatever murder happened is due to personal reasons. The law and order situation is very good in Karnataka, It is our duty to maintain law and order and we are doing it," the CM said.