RS nomination: Haryana Congress 'plays' Punjabi card

Tribune News Service

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Chandigarh, May 30

The Congress seems to have played the Punjabi card by nominating Ajay Maken for the Rajya Sabha (RS) from Haryana. Punjabi leaders in the party’s state unit are upbeat over his selection, though some are upset over missing the bus.

Selja misses the bus

• There are rumblings in the Cong as HPCC ex-president Kumari Selja was expected to get the ticket but the party chose someone (Ajay Maken) from outside the state
• Selja was recently removed with Hooda’s confidant (Uday Bhan) as the state chief and it was expected that she would be sent to the RS

Party prez’s right to name candidate

It’s the party chief’s prerogative to name the candidate for the Rajya Sabha. After the victory, I hope he (Maken) will raise the state’s issues and work for Punjabis. — Bhupinder Hooda, CLP leader

Filing of papers today

• Candidates for the Rajya Sabha election can file their nomination papers from 11 am to 3 pm on Tuesday, while the last date of withdrawal is till 3 pm on June 3

With the CLP leader’s post with Bhupinder Hooda, who is a Jat, and Udai Bhan, an SC, as the state president, the party high command has selected Maken, a Punjabi, for the RS. Other RS member from the state is Deepender.

“With Maken’s nomination, there is an attempt to keep the caste equation in balance within the party. Replacing a Dalit state chief (Kumari Selja), another Dalit was brought (Udai Bhan). Punjabis who used to be on the Congress’ side has drifted away over the years. With the BJP giving Punjabi CM in ML Khattar, the community has been rallying behind the saffron party. Maken’s nomination can be an attempt to woo them back,” said a senior party MLA.

Maken is the general secretary of the AICC and a two-time Lok Sabha MP from 2004 to 2014. He was a minister in the Manmohan Singh government and a member of the Delhi Assembly for three terms — 1993 to 2004. He had not only served as the Delhi Assembly Speaker but also as a minister in the Sheila Dikshit government.

Congress chief whip BB Batra, who is the only Punjabi MLA of the party, said, “The community has got representation with Maken’s nomination. It is a good decision.”

“The nomination is an honour for the Punjabis,” said four-time MLA Ashok Arora.

Talking about the selection of a candidate from outside the state, MP Deepender Hooda said, “Delhi is not far from Haryana. In fact, Haryana surrounds Delhi on three sides. In the political fight against the BJP, he will be an asset. He is extremely close to us.”

Meanwhile, neither Adampur MLA Kuldeep Bishnoi, who has been upset after not being made the party chief, nor Selja posted any congratulatory message on the social media for Maken.

Also, the party hasn’t taken any step towards placating Bishnoi so far. On Sunday, Bishnoi took to Twitter took a jibe on the turnout at the Hooda’s rally in Fatehabad. He recently met the CM too and has not been attending the party functions.

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