Former Karnal deputy mayor Manoj Wadhwa resigns from BJP

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former deputy mayor Manoj Wadhwa on Wednesday resigned from the primary membership of the party.
Submitting his resignation to the chief minister and state party president Nayab Singh Saini and district president Yogendra Rana, Wadhwa cited personal reasons behind the decision.
In political circles, there have been speculations that he may join the Congress and fight the Karnal byelection against CM Saini, but there is no official word yet.
Wadhwa was elected a councillor in 2013 and has also served as deputy mayor. The next year, he contested the assembly elections against the then chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on an INLD ticket but remained at the third position.
Recently, the Enforcement Directorate also carried out searches at two of his locations in connection with an alleged money laundering case linked to illegal mining. He is said to have close links with former Yamunanagar MLA Dilbagh Singh, who was arrested by the ED in January.