Cong office-bearers quit, Tanwar under pressure

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, June 28

Several Haryana Congress office-bearers resigned on Friday supporting Congress president Rahul Gandhi, though state Congress president Ashok Tanwar is adamant on not quitting.

The Congress lost all 10 seats in the state in the recently held Lok Sabha elections. Tanwar had himself lost from Sirsa.

Sumitra Chouhan, who resigned from the post of the Haryana Mahila Congress president, said: “The Congress lost due to infighting in the state. Everyone wanted to become the Chief Minister. Senior leaders are not taking responsibility for the loss. Rahul Gandhi alone is not responsible.”

Chouhan is said to be from the Randeep Surjewala camp.

At a meeting with Haryana Congress leaders in New Delhi on Thursday, where Tanwar was also present, Rahul had said, “I feel accountable for the party’s defeat in the Lok Sabha elections and resigned. I cannot ask Ashok Tanwar, or for that matter the Maharashtra Congress president, to resign.”

He indirectly indicated to Tanwar and others that he had resigned a month ago taking responsibility, but no one else did. Rahul’s remarks provoked a chain reaction on Friday, with many leaders resigning across the country.

Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s loyalist Jagbir Singh Dhigana, who resigned from the post of Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) secretary, said: “If Tanwar doesn’t resign, we will go to his house and ask him to quit.”

Sudhir Chaudhary, who resigned from the post of HPCC secretary and vice-chairman of the party’s SC department, said: “I got an opportunity to fight from Pataudi because of Rahul. If he is taking responsibility for the loss, it is my duty to support him. I cannot comment on Tanwar’s decision on staying put.” Chaudhary is considered close to Hooda.

Another leader who put in his papers was Satwinder Singh Sandhu, who was the HPCC general secretary. “Congress leaders worked hard to ensure Kurukshetra candidate Nirmal Singh’s win, but he lost. Rahul had resigned a month ago. Following in his footsteps, I have resigned as well,” he said.

Others who resigned included HPCC secretary Satyavir Yadav, Sundar Singh, Seema Sharma and Kanwar Singh.

On Tanwar, Sundar Singh and Kanwar Singh said the state Congress chief was busy in protest against to party leader Vikas Chaudhary’s murder in Faridabad. They were not sure whether or not he would put in his papers.

When contacted, Tanwar said: “I do not want to comment on the resignations. At present, I am focusing on the murder of a Congress leader as the matter is more important. It concerns the worsening law and order situation in the state.”

I do not want to comment on the resignations. At present, I am focusing on the murder of a Congress leader as the matter is more important. It concerns the worsening law and order situation in the state. — Ashok Tanwar, Haryana Cong chief