AICC shows signs of bending as Bhupinder Hooda steps up pressure

It is learned that the AICC leadership has come under renewed pressure to consider the option of changing the Haryana PCC leadership after senior leader BS Hooda stepped up efforts to regain control of the Pradesh Congress Committee. After a show of strength with supporting legislators in New Delhi earlier this week, he kept away from the PCC’s agitation on Thursday, pressuring a decisive AICC to depute representatives of key stakeholders to explore a settlement, Even if it means accepting their demand on the HPCC. Leadership.

An AICC office-bearer said, “AICC is actively discussing issues related to Haryana Congress and we are hopeful of a solution soon.” Hooda and HPCC chairman Kumari Selja were not available for comment.

The Hooda camp wants the high command to replace Shailja with Deepender Hooda. In return, Hooda may be prepared to maintain ‘social distancing’ in favor of a non-Jat MLA of his choice as the leader of the senior Congress Legislature Party once he regains control of the HPCC.

AICC switched to CAG after a meeting of select Haryana leaders convened by Rahul Gandhi on March 25 failed to create unity in the party as Hooda left over 23 out of 31 Congress MLAs for the CLP meeting in Delhi on Monday. Rally, in which his son also participated. The meeting, as a party MP, took place on the same day that Selja had invited senior Haryana leaders, including Hooda, for a PCC meeting in Chandigarh to decide the party’s strategy for a special assembly session on the situation in Chandigarh. The Hooda camp on Thursday called off the party’s agitation after the CLP meeting in Delhi, prompting the high command to know that rebellion was at hand and it prompted it to reach out to stakeholders. The fact that senior non-Jat MLA Kuldeep Bishnoi, who was considered to take up farming, another PCC chief aspirant Randeep Surjewala, also chose to attend Hooda’s CLP meeting in Delhi, shook the internal equations of the Haryana Congress. A new dimension has been given.

What made the task difficult for the AICC was that the ‘loyal’ Shailaja had reportedly complained in the meeting convened by Gandhi that due to opposition from the hood camp, the high command failed to empower her with PCC and DCC organizational teams and reduced it. ‘Token Head’ after projecting her as Dalit and Women PCC chief when appointed in 2019. His response, if asked to step down, will be keenly watched.

His predecessor Ashok Tanwar, who is also a Dalit, was ousted after a nasty fight with the Hooda camp. Tanwar later quit the Congress and joined the AAP, which has plans to expand into Haryana. Congress circles are eager to see how the AICC will deal with Hooda as it may indicate the leadership’s attitude towards change-seekers and loyalists as well.

Originally published at Pen 18