‘Difference of Opinion With Shelja But No Bitterness’: Bhupinder Hooda Ahead Of ‘Do or Die’ Haryana Election

The Congress posters for Haryana Assembly Elections 2024 seem to be sending out a clear message. In almost all of the posters put up by the Congress in Haryana, the picture of Haryana Congress displays former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda prominently with that of the candidate accompanying it. One has to scroll to see faces of other Congress leaders like Kumari Shelja and Randeep Surjewala. It looks obvious that in case the Congress wins the state, it’s senior Hooda who will emerge as the front-runner for the Chief Minister’s post.

But the party does not seem to want this impression to get traction as campaigning inches closer to closure. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has already begun raking up this issue and asking questions. BJP leader Amit Malviya posted on social media that when the 7 guarantees were being announced, Shelja was conspicuous by her absence.

With the fact that Shelja is a woman and she is Dalit, her absence could contradict the pro-SC, ST, Dalit fight of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi. Sources say that Rahul Gandhi has told the party that like Karnataka, in Haryana, too, where there’s a problem of plenty, the Congress must put up a united front.

Speaking exclusively to news18.com, Bhupinder Singh Hooda admitted that there were differences in ideology and thinking between him and Kumari Shelja, but there was no bitterness. “Matbhed hai manbhed nahi (there’s difference of opinion but no personal differences),” Hooda said.

But on the critical question on who would be the CM in case Congress wins, he said, “That’s for the party to decide. But I am ready to do any work the party wants me to do.”

With almost 80 per cent of the candidates chosen by Hooda and with the possibility of a close fight with large number of Independents, it is clear that the Congress would not want to repeat the mistake of the last time. The Congress was left napping when the BJP took the first advantage and reached out to Dushyant Chautala and formed the coalition government.

Hooda doesn’t want to take any chance this time and the party knows that every seat could matter. Therefore, alienating Shelja or Surjewala would hurt the chances of Hooda being the CM.

To add to this is the largest number of Independents and also Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) entry which could act hinder the chances of the Congres, cutting off votes. Speaking on this, Hooda said, “AAP was there during bypolls in Azamgarh as well. Kejriwal was out of jail even then, how did it help them win? This time they won’t make any difference.”

Hooda knows that this could be the clincher for him and his political future and also for his son Deepender Hooda, who was seen as the driving force behind the party’s success in Haryana in Lok Sabha elections 2024.