New Delhi: Sirsa MLA and Haryana Lokhit Party (HLP) leader Gopal Kanda has pledged support to the BJP a day after election results threw up a hung verdict in the state. But even before Kanda formally announced support for the saffron party, Twitterati pointed out the irony of a crime accused emerging kingmaker for a party that started the ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ campaign.

Kanda, a former minister and an influential politician in Haryana, defeated his nearest rival Gokul Setia, an Independent, by a slender margin of 602 votes from Sirsa.

He had hit the headlines in 2012 when an air hostess with his airline company killed herself and left a suicide note accusing the politician of harassment. Kanda was arrested on charges of abetment to suicide, criminal conspiracy and criminal intimidation. Within a few months, the woman’s mother also killed herself and blamed her suicide on Kanda. In March 2014, Kanda was granted bail and unsuccessfully fought the general elections.

He is the lone MLA from his party, the HLP, but claims to command the loyalty of five Independent MLAs. The BJP won 40 seats in the 90-seat Assembly and is six short of majority.

Reports that the BJP had deputed an MP to escort Kanda to Delhi for talks triggered a flurry of tweets, with Congress leaders accusing the party of “hypocrisy”.

There was a time (not many years ago) when Gopal Kanda was the most hated politician for the BJP. I don't know if they would care so much for Justice for Gitika now. pic.twitter.com/z6Kq3lLVAM — Vaibhav Walia (@vbwalia) October 24, 2019

जिनका कांड हरियाणा की जनता ने कर दिया अब वो गोपाल भजन गाने में लगे हैं -''तुम तारो मुझे 'गोपाल', जनता ने डुबो दी नैया मेरी...''वैसे इस तस्वीर में देखिए..ज़रा कौन कौन है जो गोपाल कांडा जी की सेवा सत्कार के लिए बेचैन हैं. pic.twitter.com/UH9i6PuQmn — Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) October 25, 2019

Breaking: after playing kingmaker for BJP in Haryana, BJP will now ask him to be the brand ambassador for Beti Bachao. #ModiLogic #Possibilitieshttps://t.co/hQfa2FOkA8 — Abhishek Singhvi (@DrAMSinghvi) October 25, 2019

Twitterati also raised similar concerns.

"Abhishek singhivi-2012: Gopal Kanda charged by Delhi Police of abetment to suicide, destruction of evidence.2019: Gopal Kanda to play kingmaker in Haryana.You really have to justify your qualifications before getting entry into BJP.#CriminalsInPolitics"Power hungry? https://t.co/uyAuMAeUVx — Sunil Jain (@JainJain54) October 25, 2019