Will contest assembly elections from Bazpur, says Yashpal Arya
HALDWANI: “Bazpur (in Kumaon’s US Nagar district) is my karma bhoomi, my work area. I will contest elections from Bazpur itself. I have no plan to contest elections from Haldwani or any other assembly segment,” said former cabinet minister Yashpal Arya on Thursday in Haldwani.
He joined the Congress, sparking speculations about the seat from which he will contest in 2022 assembly elections.
Arya said, “I thank the state Congress leadership for welcoming me back into the party. Many more leaders are yet to come. New developments will happen soon and you all will know who else is joining Congress.”
On his decision to leave BJP, he said he is a self-respecting person. “I couldn’t compromise on my self-respect. BJP’s ways and ideology are contrary to common man, womenfolk, elderly people, farmers and youth. There is no internal democracy in BJP. I joined Congress to save democracy. I used to feel suffocated in BJP and joined Congress to save my self-respect,” he said.
On the question of contesting from Haldwani instead of Bazpur assembly, he said he is an MLA from Bazpur and the area is his Karma Bhoomi (area of action). “I will contest from Bazpur and nowhere else”, he said.
On the Lakhimpur incident, he said it is a shameful incident. “Everyone has the right to speak. Raise one’s voice is not a crime. But this government is stifling the voice of dissenters”, he said
Arya, without naming anyone, said that a BJP MLA had also gone to New Delhi to join Congress but returned without joining.