Haryana deputy chief minister sacked after second marriage

Chandigarh, Dec 7 (IANS) Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Chander Mohan was Sunday dropped from the Bhupinder Singh Hooda cabinet for absenting from office without information. The announcement came hours after he emerged from his month-long hiding and admitted he had married again.

Chander Mohan, the elder son of former chief minister Bhajan Lal, was dropped from the cabinet as he has not attended his office for more than 50 days without informing the chief minister, an official spokesman said.

He also held the food and civil supply portfolio for nearly four years.

The official announcement did not refer to his comments to media earlier in the day.

Chander Mohan told the Star News TV channel: 'Yes, I have married my love Anuradha Bali alias Fiza five days back. We have also converted to Islam to become eligible for the second marriage and I have changed my name to Chand Mohammad.'

'I have a deep interest in the Islam and have read about it thoroughly,' he added.

Chander Mohan's first wife and their two sons live in Bhajan Lal's residence in Panchkula, around 10 km from here.

There were speculations that Chander Mohan, four-time legislator, had gone on a religious trip or that he was not well.

He told the news channel: 'I went on a long religious trip and I visited so many places during my trip that it is not possible to tell you the names of all those places. But I constantly remained in touch with my parents and with my friends and well-wishers.'

He admitted that his second marriage 18 years after his first could adversely affect his political career. But 'political positions come and go in life but I do not care for them. I just followed my heart without any external pressure,' he added.

Anuradha, a former assistant advocate general of Haryana, was divorced 13 years ago.

'Chander Mohan is a kind hearted person. People of Haryana have full faith in him. I do not think that this marriage would tarnish his political image. We have full conviction in the Islamic culture and now onwards will follow its principles,' Anuradha told the TV channel.