During a key meeting of the Congress party in Haryana, rivalries between different factions are being reported to have come to the fore even as former party president Rahul Gandhi called for the party to fight as one, accept "collective responsibility", and get behind a "collective leadership".
While news agency PTI reported that the three-hour meeting saw leaders "put forth their views" and suggest measures to strengthen the organisation and reach out at a grassroots level, reports in the Economic Times and the Indian Express suggest that the meeting saw rivals for the leadership from different factions engage in 'heated exchanges'.
Kumari Selja, the current leader of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, is reported by ET to have told the meeting that former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda's faction and even the AICC establishment have failed to help her with organisation of the party, and attempted to reduce her to a token PCC chief.
Hooda is reported to have denied the charge.
Hooda's son, Deepender Hooda, told the meeting that it was time for a change in leadership, according to the Indian Express, and suggested reaching out to MLAs to find out who had support of leaders and the party cadre. He also pitched a 'Jat leadership' for the PCC, ostensibly to create the right momentum for the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, according to ET sources.
Kuldeep Bishnoi, son of former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal, tried to make a pitch for a non-Jat leadership, only to be rebuffed by the Hooda camp for his son's failure to win the Hissar constituency. Randeep Surjewala and Kiran Chowdhury also reportedly involved themselves in the discussions, tentatively pitching themselves as important leaders.
The Congress last secured a majority in the state in 2005. Haryana state elections were last held in October 2019, with the Congress and its allies winning 31 seats in the 90-seat assembly, while the BJP secured 40. ML Khattar was able to form the government with the assistance of Dushyant Chautala's JJP.
(With inputs from PTI, Economic Times and Indian Express)
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