Bhupinder Singh Hooda remains a key contender for Haryana’s Chief Minister, alongside Kumari Selja and Randeep Singh Surjewala. Rahul Gandhi’s unity efforts are failing, as seen in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
New Delhi: Congress is feeling optimistic about its chances of securing a victory in Haryana, with party members confident ahead of the October 8 election results. This sense of assurance mirrors the situation in 2005 when Congress was in a similar position of power. However, internal competition for the Chief Minister’s post has already surfaced, with several leaders eyeing the position, much like in 2005.
Back in 2005, Bhajan Lal Bishnoi was the focal point of the campaign, but internal dynamics saw multiple leaders, including Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Kumari Selja, and others, competing for the top post. Hooda ultimately secured the position with backing from the Congress high command, despite Bhajan Lal’s influence and resistance. Hooda went on to serve two consecutive terms as Chief Minister.
Today, the scenario feels familiar. Bhupinder Singh Hooda remains a key contender for the Chief Minister’s role, with other prominent figures like Kumari Selja and Randeep Singh Surjewala also vying for the position. Rahul Gandhi has urged party leaders to focus on winning the election first before competing for leadership, and efforts have been made to display unity within the party.
However, similar attempts at unity have not always been successful, as seen in states like Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
The Congress party is hopeful that anti-incumbency sentiments, combined with anger over unemployment and issues concerning farmers and wrestlers, will work in their favour. Rahul Gandhi has further highlighted youth migration as a pressing issue, connecting it emotionally to unemployment. Migration, however, is not just a local issue in Haryana but one faced by the entire country.
Despite the party’s optimism, the political landscape has changed significantly since 2005. The Congress party no longer enjoys the strong central leadership it once had, and the BJP, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is now the dominant force in Indian politics. BJP’s Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has held power in Haryana since 2014, and with the backing of senior BJP leaders like Amit Shah and J.P. Nadda, the party remains confident of securing a third term.
Ashok Gehlot, who played a role in selecting Bhupinder Singh Hooda as Chief Minister in 2005, has been appointed as a senior observer for this election as well. Should Congress win, another round of deliberations over the Chief Minister’s post seems inevitable. The political dynamics, however, are much more complex today, with the BJP’s stronghold in the region and its well-organized machinery, including RSS efforts, mobilizing voters down to the final phase of the campaign.
Haryana’s political future remains uncertain, but with both Congress and BJP actively campaigning, the election is set to be closely watched. Congress may be buoyed by optimism, but BJP’s robust organization and strategy ensure it will not be an easy contest.