AICC gives change-seeker Bhupinder Singh Hooda total command of Haryana Congress

The new leadership team announced by Sonia Gandhi placed both the organisational and legislative leadership of the Haryana Congress in the hands of Hooda, who not only chose to retain the influential post of the Leader of the Opposition (CLP) but also succeeded in foisting his loyalist, Udai Bhan, a light-weight Dalit leader, as the new PCC president, replacing Hooda’s prime target Kumari Selja, the most entrenched Dalit woman leader of the state Congress. This makes Hooda the face of the state Congress for the next assembly polls as the high command overlooked concerns for factional balancing to please him completely.

Hooda met Sonia Gandhi before the AICC announcement. The persistent attempt by another leader Kuldeep Bishnoi to bag either the PCC or CLP post by projecting himself as a non-Jat leader also crashed against “the Hooda wall”.

While making the announcement, the AICC finally acknowledged that Selja — who had been unhappy about the non-cooperation of the Hooda camp, and thus the inaction of the AICC, in getting her an organisational team — had offered her resignation. The AICC press release said Sonia Gandhi “accepted Kumari Selja’s resignation with immediate effect” and appreciated her contributions while announcing her successor.

It is learnt that Hooda’s name had topped the list of probables for the PCC leadership. Given the widespread impression that Selja, being upset and thus offered her resignation, has acquired a sensitive political and social narrative in Haryana, Hooda seems to have tactically opted to ensure a loyalist from the Dalit community to succeed Selja even though the Hooda camp had initially put his son Deepender Hooda as their top preference for the PCC post

Selja said she had offered her resignation some days ago. “I am a true soldier of the Congress. My congratulations to the new PCC president and the working presidents,” Selja said.