Haryana BJP Kisan Morcha president Sukhvinder Mandi joined the Congress party on Saturday as the state moves closer to the October 5 Assembly polls.

Mandi, a former MLA from the Badhra assembly segment, joined the Congress in the presence of party leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan.

Mandi was hoping to get a ticket from Badhra but the BJP denied him.

Mandi was welcomed into the Congress fold by Hooda and Bhan, a party statement said.

Earlier on Friday, Haryana BJP leader and former minister Karan Dev Kamboj joined the Congress. He recently stepped down as the BJP state unit's OBC Morcha chief after being denied ticket to contest the next month's assembly polls.

Kamboj was eyeing a ticket either from Radaur or Indri seats.

Kamboj had last week claimed that the BJP rewarded many new entrants and turncoats with tickets while ignoring those who have been working for years.

Polling for the 90 assembly seats in Haryana will be held on October 5 and the votes will be counted on October 8.

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