Amid murmurs of infighting, Surjewala says Selja to address public meeting on Sept 26

BJP constantly targeting Congress over Dalit leader staying away from campaigning

PTI

Haryana, Updated At : 02:18 PM Sep 23, 2024 IST

Kumari Selja last campaigned on September 11. File Photo

Chandigarh, September 23

Sirsa MP Kumari Selja will campaign for the Congress and address a public meeting in Narwana this week, party general secretary Randeep Surjewala said on Monday after the BJP targeted the grand old party over alleged infighting amid reports that she was sulking.

Selja, 61, is a Congress general secretary and prominent Dalit face of the party.

With Haryana going to poll on October 5, the ruling BJP has been targeting the Congress over the Dalit leader staying away from campaigning.

Recently, Union Minister and senior BJP leader Manohar Lal Khattar had invited Selja to join the saffron party amid reports that she was staying away from campaigning.

Khattar, former Haryana Chief Minister, had also pointed towards the alleged infighting in the state unit of Congress ahead of the Assembly poll.

In a post on X, Surjewala said Selja would address a public meeting in Narwana on September 26 and would campaign for the Congress.

“Today, I will address 22 public meetings for Congress candidate Satbir Dablain in Narwana. We will hoist the flag of Congress’ victory in the entire district and Haryana,” he said.

“MP and elder sister Kumari Selja will also address a public meeting in Narwana on September 26 at 12 noon and will campaign for the Congress. Under the leadership of RahulGandhi and kharge ji, Congress will fight, win and make the dreams of Haryana come true,” Surjewala posted on X.

Surjewala’s son Aditya is also contesting the poll and has been fielded by the Congress from Kaithal, a seat which he had earlier represented, but is currently held by the BJP’s Leela Ram.

Selja was learnt to be upset after the party gave a free hand to her bete noire and former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda in ticket distribution, with most candidates who got the tickets being loyalists of the two-time former CM.

Hooda’s loyalists had also been accommodated on the majority of the 17 reserve (SC) seats.

Selja, a former Union Minister, enjoys a good support base in many districts including Sirsa, Ambala and Hisar.

Recently, many BJP leaders have been targeting the Congress over alleged disrespect being meted out to Selja, whose last campaign was in support of party candidates Shamsher Singh Gogi and Shalley Chaudhary on September 11.

Selja was also conspicuous by her absence at the event in Delhi where the Congress released manifesto.

On Friday, while Khattar was addressing a gathering in Gharaunda in support of the BJP nominee Harvinder Kalyan, he said, “There is so much infighting there (in Haryana Congress) and there is no clarity about their chief ministerial face. There is a fight between the father and the son (Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Deepender Hooda). The father says he will become the CM while son says he will. Besides them, other leaders also have desire (for the CM post).”

“There is our Dalit sister — sitting at home. A large section of people are today thinking about what they should do. Many people were upset with them and we brought them into the party fold. We are ready with an offer and if (she) comes, we are ready to induct her,” Khattar had stated.

Last week, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram had said there was no dissidence in the Haryana Congress.

“My good friend (Kumari) Selja has not said a single word against (Bhupinder Singh) Hooda, nor has Hooda said a word against Selja. So, we are a united party. We will fight this election in a united manner,” Chidambaram had said.