The Congress high command on Wednesday appointed former Hodal MLA Udai Bhan as the new state president in Haryana, replacing Kumari Selja.
Bhan is considered to be a loyalist and close to former Chief Minister and Haryana Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his appointment proves the domination of Hooda in the party over other leaders.
Four working presidents, including former Lok Sabha MP Shruti Chaudhary, Jitender Bhardwaj, former MLA Ram kishan Gujjer and Suresh Gupta, have also been appointed to maintain balance between party leaders as the party continues to witness widened rift among its stalwarts for a long time.
Shruti Choudhry is the daughter of five-time MLA and former CLP leader Kiran Choudhry while Ram Kishan Gujjer is believed to be a loyalist of Kumari Seleja. Jitender Kumar Bhardwaj is considered close to the Hoodas.
A media statement released by All India Congress Committee said the party president had accepted the resignation of Selja from her post with immediate effect. The party also appreciated the contribution of the outgoing state president.
The Hooda faction is much powerful and dominating in the state as compared to other senior party leaders as out of the 31 legislators, more than 24 belong to his faction. In wake of the prevailing scenario, the party high command has come up with a decision to appoint Udai Bhan as the state president.
Other senior party leaders were on their toes to get the chair of state president. Former chief minister Bhajan Lal’s son and a non-Jat leader in Haryana, Kuldeep Bishnoi, had also been meeting the Congress senior leadership in New Delhi seeking a significant role in the party’s state unit. Bishnoi had also met Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on April 24 as well as AICC general secretary K C Venugopal on Tuesday in New Delhi.
After meeting Venugopal, Bishnoi had said, “The meeting went well. I am satisfied with the meeting. I have been asked not to disclose anything further.”
Deepender Singh Hooda, son of Bhupender Singh Hooda, had also met party president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday.