Congress bets on caste balance with new DCC list in Haryana

After its narrow miss in the last Haryana Assembly elections — blamed largely on factionalism — the Congress has restructured its District Congress Committees (DCCs) after nearly 11 years, appointing 33 new presidents.

The list reflects careful caste and regional balancing: 10 OBCs, six Jats, five SCs, besides Brahmins, Punjabis and minority leaders. The move, party insiders say, is aimed at reviving Congress’s traditional vote bank that has drifted towards the BJP.

Congress has consciously chosen chiefs from communities different from sitting MPs. For instance, in Hisar, represented by Jat MP Jai Prakash, the DCC president is Brij Lal Bahbalpuria (SC). In Sirsa, where MP Kumari Selja is SC, the DCC is Santosh Beniwal (Jat). In Rohtak, represented by Jat MP Deepender Hooda, the district chief is Balwan Singh Ranga (SC). Similarly, in Jhajjar, Sonepat, Jind and Ambala, DCC appointments reflect this deliberate diversification.

Calling the list “largely non-controversial and inclusive,” political expert ML Goyal said, “It is a clear attempt to win back traditional support. It remains to be seen whether Rahul Gandhi’s pilot project, tested in Gujarat and now in Haryana, will succeed in a state where Congress still has a strong base. The absence of resentment from senior state leaders is also a relief for the party.”

Observers note that by empowering OBC and SC leaders at the district level, the Congress hopes to rebuild its grassroots presence and challenge the BJP on local issues — from faulty Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP) entries and Below Poverty Line (BPL) cuts to water, power and drainage woes, besides farmers’ complaints of fertiliser shortages, crop failures and flooding.

With 37 MLAs in the Assembly, the party’s restructured units are expected to intensify Opposition on the ground. Party sources also hinted at a reshuffle in the state unit and an overdue appointment of the Congress Legislature Party leader.