The smoldering management tussle in Haryana Congress got here to mild in the course of the social gathering’s normal assembly in Chandigarh on July 8, when a seemingly mild change between Chief of Opposition in Parliament (LoP) Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Singh Surjewala rapidly took on political significance.
The convention, chaired by Sanjay Dutt, the newly appointed Haryana in-charge of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), took an surprising flip throughout Dutt’s welcome program. Huda mentioned whereas pointing at Surjewala.you sat with me and watched the explosion (Stand with me and you will note the impact).”
Surjewala rapidly snatched the microphone from Haryana Congress president Rao Narender Singh and replied:I have been with you for 20 years. Now it is your flip to assist me (I have been rooting for you for the previous 20 years, now it is your flip to assist me).
Surjewala’s response was broadly interpreted amongst state Congress circles as a sign of his ambition to play a much bigger function in Haryana politics. State social gathering leaders have been unwilling to touch upon the matter, however one described it as “a witty, hilarious and pleasant banter shared amongst social gathering members.”
“Not simply Randeep, everybody was supporting Bhupinder Singh Hooda. If outcomes are nonetheless not coming, then one thing wants to alter,” mentioned a celebration chief.
“Randeep Surjewala was simply stating details in regards to the Congress’ efficiency through the years,” added one other social gathering chief.
This level was additional emphasised by Mr. Surjewala’s subsequent speech. Mr. Surjewala issued what many noticed as a direct criticism of Mr. Hooda’s longstanding Congress electoral file in Haryana, reminding social gathering insiders that the Congress had not as soon as once more secured a parliamentary majority by itself after returning to energy in 2005.
“Because the formation of Haryana in 1966, the Congress has gained an absolute majority by itself solely thrice – in 1972, 1991 and 2005. I’m not blaming anybody specifically, however all social gathering leaders and staff should first settle for this bitter reality that within the final 56 years, we now have gained alone solely thrice,” Surjewala mentioned.
“Whereas we generally fashioned governments with the assist of MLAs becoming a member of us from different events, we now have fashioned governments on our personal solely thrice,” he added, referring to the 2009 elections wherein the Congress fell wanting a majority and later 5 MLAs from the Haryana Janhit Congress merged with the social gathering to kind the federal government.
Surjewala, who can be AICC normal secretary, rejected claims by Hooda’s son and Rohtak MP Deepender that the Congress would do higher within the 2024 meeting elections.
“I’ve nice respect for my brother Deepender, however the reality is that regardless of securing the very best vote share lately, he’s nonetheless restricted to 37 seats, far wanting the 46 seats required for a majority within the 90-member parliament. We can’t flip our eyes away from this harsh actuality,” he mentioned.
He then warned Sanjay Dutt:Sanjay ji, if you happen to too wish to die, ask who’s liable for your failures. (In case you flip a blind eye, you will be part of the lengthy checklist of executives who’ve failed and finally give up.)
Surjewala’s remarks come within the backdrop of the Congress’ slender defeat within the 2024 Haryana meeting elections, after which some inside the social gathering have renewed requires a change in management. Hooda remained the social gathering’s chief minister’s face in the course of the election interval, however it took almost a 12 months for the Congress excessive command to formally appoint him to the LoP.
The Gandhi household additionally sends blended political alerts. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi attended the Hooda household’s annual lunch earlier this 12 months, cementing Hooda’s affect. Nevertheless, Rahul additionally participated in former Congress chief Brijendra Singh’s state-wide sadbabu yatra in 2025. The transfer is seen as an encouragement to leaders exterior the Hooda camp, who had skipped the yatra on the grounds that it was “not a part of the official social gathering platform”.
Hooda dominated Haryana Congress politics for almost three many years, serving as CM, state social gathering president and LoP for 2 phrases.
Surjewala, as soon as thought-about a trusted lieutenant of Hooda and a colleague within the state cupboard, has since emerged as a part of the anti-Huda SRK group, together with Lok Sabha MP Kumari Selja and former Rajya Sabha MP Kiran Chowdhury. After Chaudhary switched to the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering, Surjewala and his son Kaithal MLA Aditya Surjewala overtly supported Brijendra Singh’s Sadbabu Yatra.
Though Surjewala himself misplaced the 2019 Jind meeting elections after which misplaced elections from Kaithal to enter the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan in 2022, his intervention on July 8 was the clearest public indication but that the controversy over Congress management in Haryana has spilled into public view.
