Bhupinder Hooda Steps Back from Lok Sabha Race, Considers Son for Rohtak

In a recent announcement from Rohtak, Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda clarified that he will not be contesting in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Instead, discussions within the party are leaning towards nominating his son, Deepender Singh Hooda, for the Rohtak parliamentary seat. Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who also serves as the Leader of the Opposition in Haryana, emphasized his focus on the nearing Assembly polls, indicating his decision to step back from the parliamentary election fray.

During a press interaction, the former Haryana chief minister mentioned that the final decision regarding Deepender's candidacy would rest with the party. He expressed his contentment with whatever decision senior party leaders, including Randeep Singh Surjewala and Kumari Selja, make regarding their participation in the Lok Sabha elections. It's noteworthy that both Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his son Deepender faced defeats in their respective constituencies during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Currently, Deepender holds a position as a Rajya Sabha MP from Haryana.

Bhupinder Singh Hooda also shared insights on the Congress party's candidate selection process for Haryana, revealing that the screening committee is expected to convene shortly. He remains optimistic about the party announcing its Lok Sabha candidates for Haryana in the coming days. The state is scheduled to vote for its 10 parliamentary seats on May 25, as part of the sixth phase of India's seven-phase general elections.

Meanwhile, political rivals have not missed an opportunity to comment on the situation within the Congress camp. Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini remarked on what he perceives as reluctance among Congress leaders to contest, attributing it to a premonition of defeat. Similarly, Indian National Lok Dal senior leader Abhay Singh Chautala criticized both major parties for their candidate selection woes.

In related developments, notable shifts in party affiliations have been observed. Industrialist and former Congress MP Naveen Jindal along with Independent MLA Ranjit Chautala recently joined BJP and were announced as candidates from Kurukshetra and Hisar Lok Sabha seats, respectively. Additionally, Ashok Tanwar, a former president of Haryana Congress who switched over from AAP to BJP recently, has been named as BJP's candidate from Sirsa.