Hooda now names 33-member panel

Pradeep Sharma
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, August 23

Moving a step closer to parting ways with the Congress, former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today formed a 33-member committee to chalk out the future course of action for his faction, which has been demanding that Hooda be made the state Congress chief in place of Ashok Tanwar.

The committee would be headed by former minister and Hooda loyalist HS Chatha while sitting MLA Uday Bhan would be its convener. The committee is packed with senior party leaders, who had been gunning for Tanwar for the past over five years.

The sitting MLAs, who are members of the committee, include Kuldeep Sharma, Karan Dalal, Sri Krishan Hooda, Anand Singh Dangi, Jagbir Malik, Geeta Bhukkal, Jaiveer Balmiki, Shakuntla Khatak and Lalit Nagar.

Legislators Kiran Choudhry, Randeep Surjewala, Kuldeep Bishnoi and Renuka Bihsnoi, who were conspicuous by their absence at the August 18 “parivartan rally” at Rohtak, are not part of the committee.

The other members of the committee included former HPCC chief Phool Chand Mullana, former ministers Sampat Singh, Nirmal Singh, Rao Narinder Singh, Satpal Sangwan, Subhash Chaudhary and Aftab Ahmed, and former MPs Shadi Lal Batra, Kailasho Saini and Ranjit Singh.

Jai Tirath Dahiya, Rao Dharampal Singh, Dillu Ram Bazigar, Rao Dan Singh, Ram Niwas Ghorela, Dharam Singh Chhokar, Sharda Rathora, Zile Ram Sharma, Anil Thakkar, all former MLAs, and KV Singh, Varinder Maratha and Anil Shorewala are also included in the committee.

At the Rohtak rally, Hooda had announced himself as the chief ministerial candidate, making a slew of promises in case his faction returned to power after the Assembly elections.

On August 18, Hooda had announced the formation of a 25-member committee, saying that he would abide by the decision taken by the committee about the future course of action with the aim of throwing the BJP out of power.

State Congress chief Ashok Tanwar has already termed Hooda’s rally and formation of committee as an “act of indiscipline” while adding that he would bring the matter to the notice of the party high command

Tanwar said the committee “had no sanctity and cannot be formed as constituting committees was the prerogative of the All India Congress Committee or the state unit”.

Sources said with the high command giving a cold shoulder to Hooda, it was almost certain that the former chief minister would part ways with the Congress.

“We are still hopeful that Tanwar would be replaced with either Hooda or any leader owing allegiance to the Hooda faction. Otherwise, there is no scope for remaining with the Congress,” a member of the newly formed committee told The Tribune.

Ex-minister Chatha to head committee

• Former minister HS Chatha to head the committee, MLA Uday Bhan to be its convener
• Hooda to abide by the decision of the 33-member panel about future course of action
• Randeep Surjewala, Kiran Choudhry, Kuldeep Bishnoi and Renuka Bishnoi not part of the panel