To put an end to the ongoing infighting in its Haryana unit, the Congress is all set to replace Kumari Selja as PCC chief. The move gained momentum over the past few weeks with the state’s top leadership being repeatedly called for meetings to New Delhi by the party high command.
A decision on his successor is likely soon.
Party sources told The Indian Express that Leader of Opposition in Haryana Vidhan Sabha and state’s two-time chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda may emerge stronger as people from his camp are likely to get key postings in one of the combinations being explored by the party high command.
Among the front runners are a four-time MLA and Hooda loyalist, Uday Bhan, a Dalit leader who may replace Selja. Former chief minister Bhajan Lal’s son and a non-Jat leader in Haryana’s central area, Kuldeep Bishnoi, who is MLA from Adampur, has also been meeting the party’s senior leadership in New Delhi seeking a significant role in the state unit.
Bishnoi had met Priyanka Gandhi in New Delhi on April 24. He also met AICC general secretary KC Venugopal Tuesday at the latter’s Delhi residence. After the meeting, Bishnoi said, “The meeting went well and I am satisfied. I have been asked not to disclose anything further.”
Hooda was scheduled to meet Uday Bhan at his residence in Hodal earlier in the day. However, the meeting was canceled as Hooda was asked to reach AICC office in New Delhi for a meeting.
Later in the evening, Hooda confirmed to The Indian Express that “a meeting of all the newly appointed convenors was called in New Delhi”. He, however, refused to comment on the likely decision of replacing the party’s state unit chief.
Haryana party affairs incharge Vivek Bansal also met Venugupal in New Delhi on Monday. Bansal said, “A few combinations were being discussed by the party high command and a decision was likely to be announced soon”.
Party sources said that the high command had offered Hooda to be made HPCC president. But in that case, he is supposed to leave the post of CLP leader. Sources added that Hooda did not agree to this option as majority of the Congress MLAs were backing him as the CLP leader.
Another option that the party high command is considering is replacing Selja with another leader and appointing three working presidents. Apart from Uday Bhan and Bishnoi, Hooda loyalist and Mahendragarh MLA Rao Dan Singh is being considered for working presidents.
A senior party functionary said that various combinations are being studied to diffuse the ongoing infighting in the facts. “It is expected that the decision will be taken very soon. It is only being done to strengthen the party in the state,” the leader said.
In March this year, Rahul Gandhi had chaired a meeting of Haryana Congress’ top leadership and in that meeting too, infighting had come to fore with Hooda, Selja, Bishnoi all staking claims to significant roles in the state unit. Rahul had then asked everybody to remain united and fight the next elections as a united force.
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