A continuing internal feud within the Haryana state Congress party sees three of its stalwarts, Randeep Surjewala, Kumari Selja, and Kiran Choudhary, joining forces against Bhupender Singh Hooda. Despite the recent appointment of new party president Deepak Babria, the rift seems to persist.
The three leaders, who have been sidelined due to internal conflicts with Hooda, have decided to unify their efforts to try and assert dominance in the run-up to the forthcoming polls in Haryana. They made a public display of their unity at the state party headquarters on Tuesday, indicating that they are in a “do or die” situation. Despite their efforts, however, weakening Hooda’s faction may prove to be an uphill battle. Hooda commands strong influence in the state Congress and enjoys broad-based popularity among voters. The trio—Surjewala, Selja, and Choudhary—have had their differences in the past, but the dominance of Hooda’s faction has prompted them to band together to bolster their position and secure their political futures. They have agreed to stand united against Hooda, setting aside their previous disagreements. This development could likely fuel a power struggle within the Congress party, particularly if they return to power in Haryana after about a decade. Of the 30 Congress MLAs in Haryana, Hooda reportedly has the support of at least 25, further consolidating his position. Notably, among the three anti-Hooda leaders, only Kiran Chowdhary is an MLA.
Surjewala has significant influence within the party’s high command, as demonstrated by his successful stewardship of the party’s campaign in Karnataka, which resulted in a major victory against the BJP. Selja and Choudhary also enjoy the favour of the party’s high command. The party also places high importance on Hooda and his MP son, Deepender Singh Hooda.
Political analysts believe that it would be a formidable task for the opposing factions to weaken Hooda’s hold, given his widespread support among party MLAs. The high command is also aware that sidelining the Hooda faction could potentially weaken the party in the run-up to the elections. Therefore, it appears unlikely that Hooda will be ignored by the party leadership.