It's advantage BJP in Haryana as Hooda's revolt cripples Congress

Even as Haryana Chief Minister M.L. Khattar is going all out to woo the voters for getting a second term in office after the assembly elections later this year, the principal opposition party—the Congress—is still battling infighting. Various factions of the Congress are involved in a game of one-upmanship to emerge as the key player in the state.

Six days after meeting Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, former CM and senior leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda called a meeting of his loyalists at his residence to prepare a strategy for the upcoming polls. This meeting fuelled speculation on whether he would stay within the Congress or contest as a separate entity. Hooda had held a rally in Rohtak last month as a show of strength. He had then formed a 33-member committee to advise him on the future course of action— either to stay with the Congress or form a new party. Members of the committee, which included his loyalist MLAs, met at his residence in Delhi.

According to sources, the panel authorised Hooda to decide on his future course of action.

Given the current political situation in the state, both Hooda and the Congress need each other to combat the aggressive electoral campaign of the BJP.  Hooda is considered by many as the best bet for the Congress. He was a two-time chief minister and a four time MP. Till the time the UPA was in power, Hooda helped Congress with men and material to hold rallies in the national capital for the Central leaders. 

Time is running out for Hooda to take a final call. Chief Minister Khattar is already undertaking a state-wide yatra as part of his election campaign. He will end the yatra on September 8 in Rohtak, Hooda's pocket bourough, where Prime Minister  Narendra Modi is expected address a rally. 

Hooda is under pressure to take a call on his future strategy before the BJP rally, to send out a clear signal to his vote bank. During the last Lok Sabha elections, Hooda lost from Sonepat seat, while his son Deepinder Hooda lost from Rohtak seat.

Hooda had already declared himself as the chief ministerial candidate without even waiting for an endorsement from the party leadership. He has a running feud with Congress state president Ashok Tanwar whom he wants replace. He is also under the scanner of the investigating agencies for alleged illegal land deals. Even if Tanwar, a dalit leader, is replaced as the state chief as a rapprochement, there is a suggestion from the party that the next chief should also be a non-Jat, so that no polarisation happens in favour of the BJP. 

Hooda is laying claim to the Jat vote bank. The community which has traditionally enjoyed political power in the state felt cornered after the BJP chose a non-Jat chief minister. The other Jat parties like the Indian National Lok Dal have already disintegrated. Many of the Jat leaders then joined the BJP. The saffron party had already made Birender Singh, grandson of Jat icon Sir Chottu Ram, a minister in the previous Modi cabinet. Singh had quit Congress after spending years in the party. During the 2019 elections, his son Brijendra Singh, an IAS officer, quit his service to contest polls and won from Hisar seat.

The other Jat leader within the Congress, Randeep Singh Surjewala, also held a separate rally in his area, Kaithal. 

Hooda has been showing increasing signs of restlessness to the Central leadership for delaying his announcement as the CM candidate. He has the support of 12 out of 15 Congress MLAs, who shared the stage with him during the Rohtak rally. Moreover, many of the former MLAs and MPs were also present.

As of now, it's advantage BJP in the state as it does not have any credible opposition to take on. Khattar on Monday announced a Rs 4,750 crore package for the 10 lakh farmers, a move that would address the only issue that the opposition could have raised. The nationalistic fervour after the scrapping of the Article 370 is also helping the BJP in the state which sends a huge number of people to Army and armed forces.