In a show of strength, the Congress on Wednesday tried to organize a foundation ceremony for newly-appointed Haryana chief Uday Bhan, but the event could not cover up the rift in the state unit, which had undergone a recent reshuffle.
Leader of the Opposition and former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda loyalist, 67-year-old Bhan, was handed over the reins after his bitter rival and Dalit leader Kumari Selja resigned from the post.
Before the establishment, Bhan held a roadshow but apart from Hooda and his son Dipendra, leaders of all major factions were clear of his absence.
The Haryana unit is plagued by internal squabbles over organizational control with Hooda and his son and Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Singh trying to assert his dominance in the state Congress. Earlier, indications had surfaced that either of them would take over as the state unit chief, but Bhan’s appointment was marred by fears of a settlement.
With Bhan as part of the pact formula, four working presidents representing different groups were elected in the faction-ridden Haryana unit. But it seems the trouble is not over yet. The party is already facing anger from supporters of Kuldeep Bishnoi MLA, son of former Adampur (Hisar) CM Bhajanlal.
Bishnoi is considered a strong non-Jat leader and was hoping to be elected to the top spot. He has already expressed his dismay at the reshuffle despite holding back from quitting the party. He has asked his followers to exercise ‘restraint’ for the time being. Randeep Surjewala is also among the top leaders of Haryana who have increased their weight behind Bishnoi.
On Sunday, AICC general secretary in charge of communications, Randeep Singh Surjewala, who hails from Haryana, made an interesting statement while addressing a press conference in Chandigarh that “Kuldeep Bishnoi would have been the best state unit president”. However, he later clarified that it was his “personal comment”.
Jat leader Hooda had been demanding the removal of Shailja for a long time. After the defeat in Punjab, the high command did not want to take any chances in neighboring Haryana and seemed to have struck a caste balance by placing a Dalit leader backed by a Jat leader in charge.
Among senior Haryana Congress leaders, Surjewala, a Jat leader and Bishnoi, a prominent non-Jat face, are both considered as chief ministerial contenders. Throwing his weight behind Bishnoi, Surjewala wants to ensure that the Hooda camp doesn’t get a free run with Bhan’s rise.
read all Breaking News , today’s fresh news And IPL 2022 Live Updates Here.