Bhupinder Hooda or son may be new PCC chief, changes on cards in Haryana Congress

Tribune News Service

Geetanjali Gayatri
Chandigarh, April 11

After effecting organisational changes in the Punjab Congress, the party’s top leadership is now learnt to be looking to recast its Haryana unit with sweeping organisational changes likely on the cards. Sources said among others, Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) president Kumari Selja and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader in the Assembly Bhupinder Singh Hooda could be changed. Unconfirmed reports said Selja had already stepped down from her post.

Bishnoi may head CLP

• Bhupinder Hooda, who has backing of majority of MLAs, could be new HPCC chief
• Leaders ‘unwilling’ to work under Deepender Hooda
• Kuldeep Bishnoi is frontrunner for CLP leader’s post

The Congress leadership is learnt to have made up its mind to hand over the state unit’s reins to the Hooda camp while Kuldeep Bishnoi is being seen as a frontrunner for the CLP leader’s post.

Sources said the names of Hooda and his son Deepender, a Rajya Sabha MP, were doing the rounds for the HPCC chief’s post. A two-time former CM, Hooda enjoys the support of a majority of the 31 Congress MLAs and his candidature is being seen as “acceptable” to most of the senior leaders.

A few top leaders, however, are learnt to be averse to work under his son and the Hooda Junior’s appointment may trigger another slugfest in an already divided state unit. Sources said these leaders had already conveyed their concerns to the high command and may even “explore other options” if they were not heard.

When contacted, Hooda said the prospective changes were merely a “social media creation” and nothing as such was on ground so far. Congress’ Haryana affairs in-charge Vivek Bansal dismissed reports of Selja’s resignation. “To the best of my knowledge, it hasn’t happened,” he said. Selja and Deepender did not respond to repeated calls through the day.

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