Hooda, Selja patch up? Rivals, supporters use their pictures in posters

Deepender Deswal

Hisar, July 27

After factions of the Congress were apparently urged by the party leadership to bury the hatchet ahead of the Assembly elections, the effects are visible on the ground: photographs of former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Sirsa MP Kumari Selja have started appearing on banners and hoardings put up by their respective followers in public meetings.

However, the gap won’t be bridged so quickly, as is clear from the fact that both Hooda and Selja will attend separate programmes being organised in the Assembly segments of Barwala and Nalwa in Hisar district on Sunday.

The banners of Selja’s event ‘Congress Sandesh Yatra’ have the photographs of Hooda and state party president Udai Bhan. Originally, the official poster unveiled by Selja on her social media account on Thursday did not have the pictures of Hooda and Udai Bhan.In Hooda’s recent meeting, which was a part of the ‘Haryana Mange Hisab’ campaign, also had Selja’s picture on a banner placed in the background.

As per sources, it was done following ‘directions’ from the high command. “It’s time to show solidarity and unity. The fault lines will harm the party’s interest,” said a party leader.

Azad Singh, former Sarpanch of Rajpura village in Narnaund Assembly segment, said the ongoing tussle between the two factions had become the talk of the town among the electorate.

“The supporters want that both leaders should carry out joint campaigns or else the party’s image could be tarnished,” he said.