CHANDIGARH: The Congress party in Haryana is facing internal turmoil over the distribution of tickets for the upcoming Assembly elections, following a similar path as the BJP. After the release of the party’s first list of 32 candidates—28 of whom are sitting MLAs—several prominent figures, feeling betrayed by the decisions, have threatened to run as Independents. One senior leader has already resigned.
Tensions escalated when Rajinder Singh Joon, a sitting MLA, was re-nominated from Bahadurgarh, sparking a rebellion similar to the one during the last elections. Senior leader Rajesh Joon, who was bypassed for the ticket, met with supporters and announced his resignation from all party positions. He also declared his intention to contest as an Independent, accusing the party leadership of breaking promises. “I was promised a ticket, and that promise was broken. I will win by double the margin of the Congress candidate,” Joon stated.
This isn’t Rajesh Joon’s first rebellion against the Congress. He staged a similar revolt in 2019 when the party also selected Rajinder Singh Joon over him.
In Delhi, Haryana Congress in-charge Deepak Babaria faced protests from disgruntled workers over his decision to field Samalkha MLA Daram Singh Chokkar, a close ally of former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, despite Chokkar being under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate for corruption. Babaria attempted to explain that various factors influenced the ticket distribution process, but the protest highlighted the simmering unrest within the party.
In Baroda, another conflict arose when Congress leader Kapoor Singh Narwal accused the party of breaking its promise to field him as a candidate. The ticket was instead given to Induraj Singh Narwal. Kapoor Singh Narwal expressed his discontent, stating, “The party has not only betrayed me but the entire constituency,” and hinted that he might run as an Independent.
While dissent is growing in other constituencies, Parminder Singh Dhull, a former MLA and ticket aspirant from Julana, accepted the party’s decision to nominate Olympian wrestler Vinesh Phogat for the seat. His measured response was an exception in an otherwise chaotic week for the Congress.
Bajrang Punia won’t contest
Meanwhile, renowned wrestler Bajrang Punia, who recently joined the Congress and was appointed as the Working Chairman of the All India Kisan Congress, reaffirmed his loyalty to the party. “Only one of us would contest the election, and that’s Vinesh. I fully support her and will work to fulfill the responsibilities given to me by the High Command,” Punia said, indicating that not everyone in the party’s sporting cadre was dissatisfied.
The Congress Central Election Committee, headed by party president Mallikarjun Kharge, held an emergency meeting on Saturday evening, attended by Rahul Gandhi, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, and Deepak Babaria, to finalize the remaining candidates ahead of the October 5 elections. With growing internal pressure and increasing defections, the leadership is working hard to retain control and manage dissent within the party.
Akram Khan fielded from Jagadhari
Amid the growing rebellion, the Congress announced the candidacy of former Deputy Speaker and MLA Akram Khan from the Jagadhari Assembly constituency on Saturday. Khan, a close ally of senior Congress leader Kumari Selja, will face BJP Cabinet Minister Kanwar Pal and Darshan Lal Khera of the INLD-BSP alliance. Despite internal conflicts, the party continues with its campaign strategy.
Setback for BJP
Adding to Congress’ challenges, former minister Bachan Singh Arya resigned after being denied a ticket from the Safidon constituency. Safidon has become a battleground, with the BJP fielding Jannayak Janta Party rebel Ram Kumar Gautam. Following his resignation, Arya posted a cryptic couplet on social media, hinting at injustice, which resonated with his supporters. In a separate development, former Kalanwali MLA Sardar Balkaur Singh, along with hundreds of his supporters, left the BJP and joined Congress in the presence of former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and HPCC president Udai Bhan.