Suspended Congress MLA Mohammad Ilyas on Monday triggered fresh political ripples in Mewat after publicly accusing the Congress party of being responsible for the region’s decades-long backwardness and defending his controversial cross-vote in favour of the BJP candidate during the Rajya Sabha elections.
Addressing a workers’ meeting at the Punhana grain market in Nuh district, Ilyas and his son Javed launched a sharp attack on the Congress while openly praising the BJP leadership and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.
Leading the offensive, Javed said the family’s decision to support the BJP candidate in the Rajya Sabha election was a “return gift” to the nearly 80,000 people who elected Ilyas to the Assembly.
“Eighty thousand people voted and sent him to the Vidhan Sabha. On the basis of that trust, one vote was given to the BJP in the Rajya Sabha election,” Javed said, adding that Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini had assured them that long-pending development works in Mewat would now be completed.
Javed also accused the Congress of neglecting the Mewat region for decades despite enjoying overwhelming electoral support there.
“Mewat has been voting for the Congress for the last 70-75 years. If anyone is responsible for the backwardness of Mewat, it is the Congress party,” he alleged. He further claimed that the Congress had now become a “home of discord” rather than a political organisation.
The meeting has intensified speculation over possible political realignments in the region. Javed hinted that Mohammad Ilyas could join the BJP in the future, saying the decision would be taken “at an appropriate time.”
The suspended MLA himself stated that whether he contests future elections or not would depend on “the people and the Chief Minister".
During the meeting, Javed revealed that he and his father had recently met Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and raised issues related to electricity, healthcare, education, roads, railway connectivity, universities and employment in the Mewat region. He claimed the CM assured them of development initiatives for the area.
Javed also levelled serious allegations against sections of the Mewat police, alleging that some officials were involved in illegal extortion through middlemen and harassed common people. He warned that such complaints would be directly raised with the Chief Minister.
The developments come months after Mohammad Ilyas faced suspension from the Congress for cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha elections, a move that had embarrassed the party leadership in Haryana.
