In a show of strength ahead of the Congress legislative party meeting for the election of Leader of Opposition in the Haryana assembly, former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda convened a meeting of Congress MLAs at his residence, reaffirming his claim to the Leader of Opposition (LoP) post for a second consecutive term.
The gathering comes amidst visible factional differences within the party, with five Congress legislators, mostly aligned with Kumari Selja, conspicuously absent.
As per the sources close to Hooda, among the 37 Congress MLAs, five did not attend the meeting at Hooda’s residence. The absentees reportedly included Aditya Surjewala (Kaithal), Renu Bala (Sadhaura), Shelly Choudhary (Naraingarh), Chander Mohan (Panchkula), and Akram Khan (Jagadhri). Most of these MLAs are known to be part of the Kumari Selja faction, highlighting the internal rift over the party’s leadership in the state.
At the meeting, several key MLAs pledged their support for Hooda, favoring continuity by backing his re-election as LoP. Hooda, addressing the media after the meeting, downplayed the factional divide and said, “It was an informal gathering, and we had positive discussions. Everyone agreed to fight for Haryana, the nation, and the party.”
Hooda also extended an invitation to all MLAs to attend the official legislative party meeting, where the final decision on the LoP position will be taken.
With 31 MLAs reportedly rallying behind Hooda, the faction is expected to propose Hooda as the strong contender for the position.
The party’s internal sources said that the Selja-led faction, which holds sway over the remaining legislators, is also asserting its claim to the LoP post, indicating that the party’s upcoming meeting might see fierce deliberations.
The Congress high command has appointed senior leaders to facilitate the legislative party meeting. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Congress veteran Ajay Maken, and Punjab leader Pratap Singh Bajwa will act as observers to oversee the discussions and mediate any disputes.
The Congress leadership tussle follows the BJP’s resounding victory in the recent Haryana assembly elections. Led by Nayab Saini, the BJP secured 48 seats in the 90-member assembly, clinching its third consecutive term and thwarting Congress’ efforts to reclaim power. In contrast, the Congress managed to win only 37 seats.
As the Congress prepares for its legislative party meeting on October 18 at Chandigarh, the party’s internal factions will need to reconcile their differences to present a united front.