Haryana: Sulking Hooda may announce future plans at Aug 18 rally in Rohtak

Amid growing speculation about him forming a new party, Congress leader and former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda is likely to reveal his cards at a rally in his home turf Rohtak on August 18.

Sources close to Hooda said he is likely to make a "big announcement" at the rally. A possibility of the Congress leader floating a regional party also cannot be ruled out.

Hooda has been giving indications about forming a new party before the elections to the 90-member Assembly in October.

He had said in Rohtak last week that he was ready to make any sacrifice if people support him.

"I am ready to make any sacrifices if you support me," he had told a gathering of his supporters.

Internal bickering had been brewing within the state unit of the party and escalated following its defeat in the Lok Sabha elections. Congress failed to win even a single seat out of a total of 10 parliamentary constituencies in Haryana.

Hooda has been seeking the removal of the party's state chief Ashok Tanwar.

His efforts, however, failed as former Congress president Rahul Gandhi was reportedly not willing to accept his demand.

With Sonia Gandhi taking over as the interim president of the Congress, Hooda may once again renew his efforts to oust Tanwar. If his demand is met, the two-time chief minister may continue in the grand old party, the sources added.