Bhupinder Hooda front runner for PCC chief in Haryana amid change of guard

The change of Guard is on the cards in Haryana Congress as the party is in the process of making organisational changes to build a strong base for the party considering future Assembly polls.

According to sources, the party is all set to change the state Congress chief where former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda is leading the race.

Haryana Congress leaders had recently held a meeting with Rahul Gandhi and discussed the current political situation in the state whereas the high command had advised the state leaders to take on the challenges unitedly.

Having seen the poll debacle in Punjab due to infighting, Congress High Command has been cautious and is gearing up to resolve all the issues between the big guns in the state as the party has many big faces in the state.

Notably, Haryana has seen governments of Congress and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) but BJP came to power in 2014 and with new opponent Aam Admi Party (AAP), Congress has to resolve the factionalism within the Haryana unit which has been simmering for quite some time and the party not being able to form the government last time as well due to these differences.

The leaders in the meeting with Rahul Gandhi had expressed their views to him, after which current party chief Kumari Selja had met Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday and reportedly desired to step down from the post if the party wants.

According to a leader involved in the process, Bhupinder Singh Hooda is the front runner for the post of party president in the state, while Kuldeep Bishnoi is likely to replace him as a Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader in the Haryana Assembly.

While Congress is all set to get one Rajya Sabha seat if everything goes united where Randeep Singh Surjewala or Kumari Selja is likely to be accommodated.

Selja has an edge being a Dalit face and a close aide to Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi.

Selja was a member of Rajya Sabha from the state before taking the charge as Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) chief but her term couldn't be renewed and Deepender Hooda was elected as a Rajya Sabha MP from the State.