NEW DELHI/CHANDIGARH: Ending months of suspense over who will lead its Haryana unit, Congress on Wednesday appointed Kumari Selja as the president in what seems to be an effort to broker peace with former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda ahead of state elections.
As a balancing act to keep Hooda and son Deepender in good humour after threats by their camp followers to break away and float a separate party, Congress appointed the former CM as leader of the legislative party and chairman of the election management committee in the poll-bound state.
The perch — and the relative sidelining of previous state chief Ashok Tanwar — might satisfy Hooda, who is seen to have patched up with Selja of late. Selja, a Dalit leader who has been a central minister, and Hooda have not been on the best of terms, but a thaw has been evident in recent weeks.
The 10-0 whitewash of Congress in the Lok Sabha polls was a jolt as both the Hoodas lost, with their home turf of Rohtak also going to BJP. Since the defeat, Hooda has been insistent that he be allowed to call the shots and sharply differed with the central leadership over abrogation of Article 370. In a state known for its recruitment in the armed forces, paramilitary and police and where “nationalist” themes play well, Hooda did not see the utility of Congress’s strident opposition to the scrapping of J&K’s special status.
Speaking after her appointment, Selja said, “It is a huge responsibility. All of us will have to work together. We are committed to the party’s ideology.”
Hooda said, “The party has taken a decision, I respect it. I thank Soniaji for giving me this responsibility.”
Announcing the key appointments as the state prepares for assembly polls, Congress general secretary in charge Ghulam Nabi Azad insisted on letting bygones be bygones, and refused to dwell on the “pressure tactics” used by the Hoodas to wrangle a leading role. “The past is past. The committee that has been formed is for the future. Leaders were duly consulted and they will all work together to ensure that Congress party puts up a good performance in Haryana,” he said.
The choice of leadership suggests Congress is banking on a Jat-Dalit-minority combination in the state where BJP has consolidated its hold over the non-Jat communities. Worryingly for Congress, Jats also viewed BJP with favour in the Lok Sabha elections, particularly after the Balakot air strikes.
Selja is a Congress Working Committee member and is seen to be close to party president Sonia Gandhi. Tanwar was former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s pick for the job in 2014.
Selja will have the onerous task of leading the faction-ridden Congress into elections. With assembly polls set to be announced later this month, it is also likely that she will have limited room to take major decisions.
Azad, however, dismissed questions about how a strife-ridden party unit will be able to deliver ahead of the upcoming polls and said Congress was large enough to accommodate all its leaders.
As a balancing act to keep Hooda and son Deepender in good humour after threats by their camp followers to break away and float a separate party, Congress appointed the former CM as leader of the legislative party and chairman of the election management committee in the poll-bound state.
The perch — and the relative sidelining of previous state chief Ashok Tanwar — might satisfy Hooda, who is seen to have patched up with Selja of late. Selja, a Dalit leader who has been a central minister, and Hooda have not been on the best of terms, but a thaw has been evident in recent weeks.
The 10-0 whitewash of Congress in the Lok Sabha polls was a jolt as both the Hoodas lost, with their home turf of Rohtak also going to BJP. Since the defeat, Hooda has been insistent that he be allowed to call the shots and sharply differed with the central leadership over abrogation of Article 370. In a state known for its recruitment in the armed forces, paramilitary and police and where “nationalist” themes play well, Hooda did not see the utility of Congress’s strident opposition to the scrapping of J&K’s special status.
Speaking after her appointment, Selja said, “It is a huge responsibility. All of us will have to work together. We are committed to the party’s ideology.”
Hooda said, “The party has taken a decision, I respect it. I thank Soniaji for giving me this responsibility.”
Announcing the key appointments as the state prepares for assembly polls, Congress general secretary in charge Ghulam Nabi Azad insisted on letting bygones be bygones, and refused to dwell on the “pressure tactics” used by the Hoodas to wrangle a leading role. “The past is past. The committee that has been formed is for the future. Leaders were duly consulted and they will all work together to ensure that Congress party puts up a good performance in Haryana,” he said.
The choice of leadership suggests Congress is banking on a Jat-Dalit-minority combination in the state where BJP has consolidated its hold over the non-Jat communities. Worryingly for Congress, Jats also viewed BJP with favour in the Lok Sabha elections, particularly after the Balakot air strikes.
Selja is a Congress Working Committee member and is seen to be close to party president Sonia Gandhi. Tanwar was former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s pick for the job in 2014.
Selja will have the onerous task of leading the faction-ridden Congress into elections. With assembly polls set to be announced later this month, it is also likely that she will have limited room to take major decisions.
Azad, however, dismissed questions about how a strife-ridden party unit will be able to deliver ahead of the upcoming polls and said Congress was large enough to accommodate all its leaders.
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