As Haryana gears up for its crucial assembly elections, the Congress party finds itself in the throes of a fierce internal battle, with factionalism threatening to overshadow its electoral ambitions. Despite a significant resurgence in the recent Lok Sabha elections, where the party clawed its way back from a humiliating zero to five seats, the road to power in Haryana is anything but smooth.
The Congress›s central leadership is now wrestling with the monumental task of uniting its top brass in Haryana—a state known for its deeply entrenched caste dynamics and volatile political landscape. Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Sirsa MP Kumari Selja, senior leader Randeep Surjewala, and Capt Ajay Singh Yadav, each with their own ambitions and loyalists, are locked in a high-stakes contest for supremacy within the party.
Hooda, a towering Jat leader and two-time Chief Minister, has declared this election his last, but his sway over the party is far from uncontested. Kumari Selja, a formidable Dalit leader, has emerged as a potent rival, launching her own campaign under the banner «Ab Haryana Ki Bari» in a bid to consolidate urban support and challenge Hooda›s dominance. Her initiative, closely following the Hooda-led «Haryana Mange Hisab Yatra,» underscores the deepening rifts within the Congress ranks.
The absence of Selja and Surjewala from a crucial Election Strategy Committee meeting in New Delhi has only fueled speculation about the growing discord. Hooda, who commands the backing of most Congress MLAs, MPs, and state incharge Deepak Babria, is maneuvering to secure a lion›s share of assembly tickets, strengthening his claim to the Chief Minister›s chair.
Meanwhile, Selja’s «Congress Sandesh Yatra» has attracted key party figures like Renu Bala, Pradeep Choudhry, and Shamsher Singh Gogi, showcasing her own clout. However, the recent defection of senior leader Kiran Choudhary to the BJP has dealt a blow to Selja›s camp, weakening the SRK (Selja, Randeep, and Kiran) faction and potentially tipping the scales in Hooda’s favor.
