Haryana Assembly Election: Kumari Selja's Absence From Congress Campaign Pointing At Rift In Party?

The Congress party, confident of defeating the BJP in Haryana, is grappling with internal divisions ahead of the crucial Assembly polls. Tensions between veteran leader and former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and prominent Dalit leader Kumari Selja have come to the forefront, with Selja reportedly distancing herself from the campaign as the elections draw near.

Amid this discord, Union Minister and former Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has extended an invitation to Kumari Selja to join the BJP, highlighting the alleged infighting within the Haryana Congress, reported Business Today.

Khattar pointed to the lack of clarity around the Congress's chief ministerial candidate. He said, "There is so much infighting there (in Haryana Congress) and there is no clarity about their chief ministerial face. There is a fight between the father and the son (Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Deepender Hooda). The father says he will become the CM while the son says he will. Besides them, other leaders also have desire (for the chief minister post)."

He further remarked on Selja's absence from the campaign: "There is our Dalit sister...sitting at home. A large section of people are today thinking about what they should do. Many people were upset with them and we brought them into the party fold. We are ready with an offer and if (she) comes, we are ready to induct her."

When asked whether Selja might join BJP, Khattar said, "It is a world of possibilities and possibilities cannot be ruled out and therefore, everything will be known when the right time comes."

Reports indicate that the rift in the Haryana Congress stems from disagreements over ticket distribution for the assembly polls. Selja reportedly sought 30 to 35 tickets for her camp but was only able to secure 13 of the 90 tickets, including those for sitting MLAs.

Meanwhile, the central Congress leadership allocated 72 tickets to the faction led by Bhupinder Hooda. Selja's frustration grew when she couldn't secure a ticket for her close ally, Dr. Ajay Chaudhary, in the Narnaund constituency.

The situation escalated when a casteist remark was made against Selja by a Congress worker during the nomination event for Jassi Petwad, the party candidate candidate for Narnaund. This incident angered Selja's supporters and fueled discontent within the Dalit community, further complicating the party's internal dynamics.

Despite the apparent discord, senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram has downplayed the issue, stating, "My good friend (Kumari) Selja ji has not said a single word against Mr Hooda, nor has Mr Hooda said a word against Ms Selja. So we are a united party. We will fight this election in a united manner."