Congress unlikely to field sitting MPs
After several rounds of talks over potential candidates, the Congress on Tuesday took an in-principle view against fielding sitting Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs in the October 5 Haryana Assembly elections.
Top AICC sources told The Tribune that sitting MPs — Kumari Selja, Deepender Singh Hooda, Varun Chaudhry, Jai Prakash and Satpal Brahmachari from the Lok Sabha and Randeep Surjewala from the Rajya Sabha — were unlikely to be fielded.
“The party does not want to alter its Rajya Sabha strength at the moment, nor does it wish to force a by-election to the Lok Sabha. Sitting MPs are highly unlikely to be fielded,” a source said. Asked if that meant sitting MPs were out of contention for the chief ministership should the Congress win the Haryana election, a Congress functionary said, “That issue does not arise today. The chief ministership is an issue which will arise later and as stated earlier, anyone who has the support of MLAs can stake claim to the position.”
The issue of chief ministership remains a contentious one with former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda a clear favourite.
Former Union minister Kumari Selja has also thrown her hat in the ring by repeatedly stressing the role of the high command in choosing the CM post- elections.
Congress sources, however, told The Tribune that Bhupinder Singh Hooda camp has prevailed in the majority of ticket selections in the state with the list expected any time now.
“Also this time, we are witnessing greater cooperation between factions than we had anticipated. The sub- committee constituted to evolve a consensus on tricky seats where competing claims arose has amicably resolved the matter and sent its report to the high command for approval. All so called factions are together for elections,” a sub-committee member told TNS adding that the anxiety around the now-aborted possibility of a pre-poll alliance with the AAP also aided unity in Haryana Congress and brought warring leaders together. The last date of filing of nominations for the October 5 poll is September 12. The Congress earlier declared 32 of 90 candidates.
