Majority of legislators back Hooda for CLP leader post
Congress observers appointed by the party to oversee the process of election of a new legislature party leader in Haryana on Tuesday submitted their report to party top brass putting the ball in the court of the high command.
Rahul’s inputs vital
The Congress is keeping cards close to its chest with Rahul Gandhi’s inputs considered key to the decision on who the next Haryana CLP leader would be and whether he would take this occasion to promote a new leadership in the state.
Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, AICC general secretary Ajay Maken and Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa handed over the report to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. The Tribune has learnt that the majority of state MLAs in one on one meetings with the three observers backed the retention of former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda as Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly. “Most MLAs stated the obvious,” a senior source said.
The MLAs who backed Hooda are learnt to have made the point that the former CM led from the front and put in the best possible effort in the Assembly elections.
They also said to take on a strong BJP which had become stronger after winning a record third term in the state the party needed a veteran and Hooda, a two-term former CM, fits the bill. Hooda’s strength, Congress sources said, was his ability to keep MLAs together and the fact that they continued to rally behind him.
On the eve of the meeting of observers with MLAs in Chandigarh 31 out of 37 Congress MLAs had turned up at the Delhi residence allotted to his MP son Deepender Hooda. The Jat stalwart had on that day described the meeting as a courtesy call by lawmakers who wanted to meet him after the results. He had said there was nothing formal about the meeting. The political importance of the meeting was however not lost on anyone.
Many MLAs The Tribune spoke to privately said the upcoming five years of the BJP government in Haryana would determine the future of the Congress in the state and a strong leader of opposition was required to keep the Nayab Singh Saini government on the defensive. “Hooda has those qualities,” said one MLA.
The Congress meanwhile is still keeping cards close to its chest with Rahul Gandhi’s inputs considered key to the decision on who the next Haryana CLP leader would be and whether Rahul would take this occasion to promote new leadership in the state. But for the Congress dismissing Hooda won’t be easy.
“The next CLP leader could be Hooda or someone close to him,” a senior Congress functionary told The Tribune adding that perhaps this may not be the best time for risk taking in Haryana, especially with senior leaders flexing their muscles — some threatening to resign (a reference to Capt Ajay Yadav who resigned and then withdrew his resignation) and some making their displeasure known publicly (Kumari Selja).
“The thing is BS Hooda has more political leverage in Haryana politics than any other leader. What if he goes into a sulk? What will happen then?” another senior AICC leader asked.
