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Hooda-Selja Clash – With the Haryana Assembly elections fast approaching, the Congress party finds itself divided, causing significant challenges in its campaign efforts. The rift within the party has widened since the distribution of election tickets, leading to key figures like MP Kumari Selja remaining absent from campaign activities. Meanwhile, former Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda is reportedly not backing candidates who were granted tickets through Selja’s support.
This internal divide is particularly weakening the party’s position in five constituencies, where Congress candidates are now campaigning independently without strong backing from key leaders. These candidates are up against heavyweight opponents from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), making their road to victory even more difficult.
Hooda-Selja Clash – Tensions Rise in Ambala City as Hooda’s Faction Complicates Campaign
In Ambala City, Congress candidate Nirmal Singh, a member of Hooda’s faction, has further escalated tensions by fielding his own daughter, Chitra Sarwara, as an independent candidate in the Ambala Cantt constituency. This has intensified the already tough contest for the Congress candidate Parvinder Pari, who was already facing a formidable challenge as BJP has fielded the former Home Minister, Anil Vij.
Hooda Supporters Distance Themselves in Hisar and Fatehabad
The situation in Hisar is no better, with Congress candidate Ram Niwas Rara not receiving open support from Hooda’s loyalists. In Fatehabad, the scenario worsens as Hooda’s close associates, including Prahlad Singh Gillakheda and Dr. Virendra Siwach, have distanced themselves from Congress candidate Balwan Singh Daultpuria’s campaign.
Balwan Singh, a former MLA from Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), is now running on a Congress ticket. However, Hooda’s supporters, who had their own aspirations for a ticket in Fatehabad, have refused to campaign for him. Daultpuria is now facing a challenging contest against BJP’s Dudar Ram Bishnoi, the brother of senior BJP leader Kuldeep Bishnoi, and INLD’s Sunaina Chautala.
Hooda-Selja Clash – Strong Opposition in Panchkula and Jagadhri
In Panchkula, the former Deputy Chief Minister Chandermohan Bishnoi is contesting on a Congress ticket. Chandermohan, son of former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal, is up against BJP’s Gyan Chand Gupta, who defeated him in both the 2014 and 2019 elections. Although Bishnoi is a strong candidate, the BJP’s consistent victories in Panchkula make this a difficult race, and the absence of Kumari Selja from the campaign has been felt.
Similarly, in Jagadhri, Congress candidate Akram Khan, who is aligned with the Selja faction, is struggling without the full support of his party. Khan, who has lost the last two elections, is facing a tough fight against BJP’s Kanwar Pal Gurjar, who has served as a cabinet minister for the last ten years. Dalit voters are expected to play a decisive role in this election, but Selja’s absence from the campaign has complicated matters for Akram Khan.
Read Also – Is Bhupinder Hooda’s Defense of Kumari Selja a Strategic Move or Genuine Support?
Hooda-Selja Clash – Ambala Cantt: A Tough Battle for Parvinder Pari
In Ambala Cantt, Congress candidate Parvinder Pari, a Kumari Selja loyalist, is caught in a three-way contest against BJP candidate Anil Vij and independent candidate Chitra Sarwara. With Vij being a strong and seasoned politician, and Sarwara splitting the Congress vote, Pari finds himself isolated.
Nirmal Singh, a close associate of Hooda and father of Chitra Sarwara, is contesting from Ambala City and has refrained from supporting Pari. The Hooda faction’s apparent refusal to back Selja’s candidates has left Pari relying solely on Kumari Selja for support, who has so far remained distant from the campaign.
Hooda-Selja Rift Weakens Congress in Key Constituencies
The Congress high command has allocated five critical seats to candidates from the Selja camp, including Fatehabad, Hisar, Panchkula, Jagadhri, and Ambala Cantt. However, these are constituencies where the BJP has maintained a strong presence, winning the last two elections. In fact, three of the BJP candidates in these areas are either cabinet ministers or the Speaker of the Assembly, further complicating Congress’s efforts to reclaim these seats.
Hooda-Selja Clash – The internal rift between the Hooda and Selja factions is proving detrimental to Congress’s chances in these key constituencies. Hooda supporters, having been denied tickets in these regions, have largely withdrawn from campaigning. At the same time, Kumari Selja has kept a low profile, having stayed away from the campaign trail since September 15, leaving her candidates to fend for themselves.
Hooda-Selja Clash – As Congress struggles to unite its ranks, the BJP is capitalizing on the division, and the prospect of retaining its stronghold in these constituencies looks increasingly likely. With key leaders missing from the campaign and factionalism rife within the party, Congress’s road to victory in Haryana appears more difficult than ever.
