Four of the five suspended Haryana Congress MLAs, who allegedly voted for the BJP-supported Independent candidate in the March 16 Rajya Sabha polls, attended the district-level functions organised to celebrate PM Narendra Modi’s visit.

Sadhura MLA Renu Bala attended the programme at Yamunanagar, Ratia MLA Jarnail Singh at Fatehabad, Naraingarh MLA Shalley Chaudhary at Ambala, and Hathin MLA Mohd Israil at Palwal. Only Punahana MLA Mohd Ilyas, among the suspended MLAs, did not attend the function at Nuh.

By joining the functions, the MLAs have taken another step closer to the BJP. “The suspended MLAs joining an official function is not a big deal. Had they attended a BJP function, it would have attracted the anti-defection law,” said a senior Congress MLA.