The Haryana Assembly elections are around the corner. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is gearing up to form the government for the third consecutive time, while the Congress is trying to overcome internal factions to build on the momentum gained in the Lok Sabha elections. Factionalism has been the biggest challenge for Congress in Haryana. The party has been projecting unity by showcasing former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Kumari Selja, and Randeep Surjewala together in meetings. The new ticket distribution formula is also seen as a strategy to send the message that 'all is well' within the Haryana Congress.
Babria Unveils the Ticket Distribution Formula
Haryana Congress in-charge Deepak Babaria has clearly stated that no current MPs will be given tickets in the Assembly elections. Speaking to journalists after a screening committee meeting, he noted that if there's an immediate need, permission must be obtained from party president Mallikarjun Kharge. Tickets will only be denied to sitting MLAs if there is strong anti-incumbency against them. Babaria also mentioned that discussions have taken place regarding 10-15 seats, but a final decision will take a few more days.
Is Congress Paving the Way for Hooda?
The announcement by Deepak Babaria has raised questions about whether Congress is paving the way for former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda. This hypothesis gains traction because there are two factions within the Haryana Congress—one led by Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his son Deepender Singh Hooda, and the other by Kumari Selja and Randeep Surjewala. Kumari Selja has already made it to Parliament through the Sirsa seat in the recent Lok Sabha elections, while Surjewala is a sitting Rajya Sabha MP. By not permitting MPs to contest in the Assembly elections, Congress essentially removes both Selja and Surjewala from the race for tickets.
Kumari Selja had expressed her desire to contest the Assembly elections, saying, "I believe there's a need to work in the Haryana Assembly. I've communicated my wish to the high command. It's up to them to accept or reject it." In an interview with a newspaper following the latest announcement from Haryana Congress in-charge, she reiterated, "Deepak Babaria has said that no MP will contest, and if they wish to, they must seek permission from the high command. I've already stated my intention to contest the Assembly elections. If granted permission, I will contest."
Selja's Decreased Chances Without MLA Status
Kumari Selja understands that without being an MLA, her claim to the Chief Minister's post weakens. Congress's past in Haryana suggests the same. In the 1968 Haryana Assembly elections, both the state's first CM Bhagwat Dayal Sharma and Chaudhary Devi Lal were strong contenders for the CM post. Congress denied tickets to both. Chaudhary Devi Lal led the campaign and sought votes across the state for Congress candidates. After Congress's victory, Sharma staked his claim to the CM post with the support of 33 MLAs, while Devi Lal camped in Delhi. The Congress leadership then announced that the new CM would be chosen from among the MLAs.
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Post Haryana elections, if a tussle for the CM post arises, Congress might opt for choosing a CM from among the MLAs. If that happens, Bhupinder Hooda's claim will remain strong because Babaria's formula eliminates both SR faction leaders from the Assembly race. Both Kumari Selja and Bhupinder Singh Hooda are well aware of these scenarios, which is why Congress MPs are discussing seeking high command's permission to contest Assembly elections, while the former CM suggests appointing the CM based on the elected MLAs' opinion post-elections.
Congress Avoids Announcing CM Face
Similarly, to refrain from declaring a CM face, Haryana Congress has decided not to announce one for the upcoming elections. The Haryana BJP took this to social media platform X, querying why Rahul Gandhi doesn't declare Kumari Selja as the CM candidate if he's truly a champion for OBCs and Dalits. Haryana Congress President Chaudhary Udaybhan countered, asking if the BJP had declared CM candidates in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. During an interview, when Bhupinder Hooda was asked about the future CM, he deflected the responsibility to the party high command and the elected MLAs.
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Bhupinder Singh Hooda is known for adopting a stance against the high command if things don’t go his way. This was evident in the last Haryana elections when Congress decided to contest without declaring any CM candidate, but Hooda self-proclaimed himself as a CM candidate during the campaign. Speculations suggest that Congress might have announced not to give tickets to MPs as a strategy to take Hooda into confidence before launching the CM face-less campaign.
