Chandigarh, April 10
The delay on the part of Revenue Minister Mahender Partap Singh in clearing a file pertaining to the transfer of tehsildars vetted by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has raised many an eyebrow within the Haryana Congress.

The Chief Minister had cleared the list of names for appointment as tehsildars in various districts following recent criticism of the state government on issues relating to land matters.

The list was sent to the Revenue Minister from the Chief Minister’s office for immediate clearance, but was yet to be signed by the minister.

The delay assumes significance in the light of recent differences within the Haryana Congress. Mahender Partap Singh was known to be Chief Minister’s detractor till about four months ago. The two are believed to have mended fences after Hooda addressed a public rally in Faridabad on December 11 to appease the Gujjar community.

Mahender Partap Singh said he was not aware of any list having been sent to his office as he was indisposed today and did not attend office. But he added that he would consult the Chief Minister if any large-scale transfers were to be done.

Sources in the Revenue Minister’s office say not much should be read into the delay in issuing transfer orders as the minister often keeps files with him for a couple of days before signing these.

In the recent past, state Congress leaders, including the Chief Minister and Union Minister Kumari Selja, have held closed-door meetings with All-India Congress Committee president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi prompting the party high command to broker some peace within the party. Barring a few occasional jibes, there have been no open attacks within the party leaders.

Amid speculations of renewed acrimony between the two leaders, it is learnt that the Revenue Minister reportedly entered into an argument with a senior official of the Chief Minister’s office when he enquired about the issuance of orders. The Revenue Minister is reported to have told the officer that he would not let the Chief Minister interfere in his department.

While the Congress rally at Faridabad had come to be seen as an end of hostility between Hooda and the Gujjar leader, the defiance by the Revenue Minister could indicate fresh cold war between the two.

The Revenue Minister had earlier fallen apart with the Chief Minister after he voiced his concern over the issue of land acquisition in the state. He had suggested that farmers, who comprised a majority of his constituency, be made shareholders in any venture that came up after acquisition.

This issue was raised outside the Cabinet by Capt Ajay Yadav and both Mahender Partap and Yadav were divested of their then portfolios. The Chief Minister later gave Mahender Partap important portfolios of Revenue, Technical Education and Food and Supply to quell voices of dissent in his Cabinet. The December rally at Faridabad was an effort on the part of the Revenue Minister to indicate that he had made up with the Chief Minister.