M A I N   N E W S

Kiran Choudhry heads Cong in Haryana House
Geetanjali Gayatri
Tribune News service

Chandigarh, November 10
The Congress Legislature party in the Haryana Assembly will be headed by three-time MLA and former minister Kiran Choudhry. She has been “handpicked” for the job by Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Amid challenging times for the Congress and the “divide” within the party over the choice of the CLP leader, Choudhry “out-manoeuvred” former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s camp that was pitching for a non-Jat face to represent the CLP. Hooda — who had shown his disinterest in being the CLP leader — along with 13 MLAs from Sonepat, Jhajjar and Rohtak strongly recommended the names of former Speaker Kuldeep Sharma and ex-minister Geeta Bhukkal. The Central leadership, however, was always in favour of a Jat to lead the Congress in the House where it has been reduced to third place with only 15 MLAs. The contest had narrowed down to Choudhry and former minister Randeep Singh Surjewala. Sources maintain that the latter, also a spokesperson of the party, was needed by the Central leadership for “larger national role”.

A “vocal” Choudhry, who has a “fighter” image, became the obvious choice for not only being “capable for the job” but also because the party was keen on sending out a strong message by choosing a woman to lead the CLP.

“The Congress will play the role of a positive and constructive Opposition in the House. While the party will strongly raise issues of public interest, it will also keep a close watch on the working of the Manohar Lal Khattar government in the state. Any wrongdoing will not be tolerated. However, decisions in public interest will have our support,” Choudhary, “inheritor” of former Chief Minister Bansi Lal’s legacy, said.

She thanked the Congress president for giving her the new responsibility. “The first meeting of the CLP will be held on November 22 and will be addressed by the party general secretary in charge, Shakeel Ahmed, and secretary Asha Kumari,” Choudhry said. State unit chief Ashok Tanwar welcomed Choudhry’s elevation as CLP leader.