M A I N   N E W S

Bhajan chosen CLP Leader
Rival supporters come to blows
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, March 1 — The former Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr Bhajan Lal, was “unanimously” elected Leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) amidst exchange of blows between his supporters and those of the Haryana Congress President, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, here today.

Mr Bhajan Lal’s election was announced by the AICC General Secretary in charge of Haryana, Mr Moti Lal Vora, after a “consensus” was reached on his name after a two-hour-long meeting of the newly elected 21 MLAs of the party.

Mr Vora along with another AICC General Secretary, Mrs Ambika Soni, and the Secretary, Mr V. Narayanswami, called the 21 MLAs individually to know their opinion. Later they called Mr Hooda, who was also a contender for the post of Leader of the CLP.

Incidentally the CLP leader will also be the Leader of Opposition in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha, because the Congress is the largest Opposition party in the House.

It is believed that Mr Hooda lost the race to Mr Bhajan Lal by one vote. While 11 MLAs, including Mr Bhajan Lal, favoured the former Chief Minister, 10 MLAs, including Mr Hooda, voted for the PCC President.

It is also learnt that to keep unity in the party the high command has decided that Mr Hooda will continue as PCC President, while Mr Bhajan Lal will be the CLP leader.

Rao Inderjit Singh (Jatusana), Mr Daan Singh (Mahendragarh), Mr Chander Mohan (Kalka), Mr Sher Singh (Julana), Mr Lachhman Dass Arora (Sirsa), Mr O.P. Jindal (Hisar), Mr Narender Singh (Ateli), Mr Dharambir Singh (Tosham), Mr Mange Ram Gupta (Jind) and Mr Balbir Pal Shah (Panipat) are believed to have supported Mr Bhajan Lal.

Capt Ajay Singh Yadav (Rewari), Ms Anita Yadav (Sahlawas), Mr Zakir Hussein (Taoru), Mr Jai Prakash (Barwala), Dr J.P. Sharma (Yamunanagar), Dr Raghubir Singh Kadian (Beri), Mr Shadi Lal Batra (Rohtak), Mr Dharam Pal (Sohna) and Mr Jitender Malik (Kailana) are believed to have thrown their weight behind Mr Hooda.

It is learnt that certain MLAs demanded that the Deputy Leader of the CLP should belong to Ahirwal because the region had given six MLAs to the party. However, the post was not filled today.

Mr Vora said the Congress was defeated because of blatant misuse of official machinery by the INLD which also misled the voters by asking them to fill pension forms.

Claiming that the Congress was united he said it would oppose the government on anti-people issues. He said there was no weakness in the organisational set-up of the party in the state.

Mr Vora, in reply to a question, said the Chautala Government would fall under the weight of its own contradictions.

Mr Bhajan Lal said the Congress would effectively raise the issue of public interest in the Vidhan Sabha.

Later Mr Hooda said the election of the CLP leader was an internal matter of the party. He said a consensus was reached on the name of Mr Bhajan Lal. As a disciplined soldier of the party, he said, he had accepted the decision.

Arora quits as Speaker

CHANDIGARH, March 1 (PTI) — Mr Ashok Kumar Arora today resigned as Speaker of the Haryana Assembly, an official notification said here tonight. The notification did not give any reason for the resignation of Mr Arora.

Mr Arora has been elected to the Haryana Assembly from Thanesar in Kurukshetra district.

The resignation has come a day before the swearing in of Mr Om Prakash Chautala as Chief Minister tomorrow.