Will Congress's 'No Ticket to MP' Clause Hurt Party's Chances in Haryana Amid Battle for CM Pick?

The Congress is very confident about the Haryana election results and, in a rare case, most of the leaders are keen to contest polls. There has already been a poster war, with some projecting Kumari Selja as the chief ministerial face, while the party’s campaigns seem to be projecting former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

Both Selja, the Sirsa MP, and Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Surjewala have expressed their desire to contest but have also left the decision to the high command. What has created a flutter is the fact that state in-charge Deepak Babaria has gone on record to say that no MP will be considered for tickets and they need not contest the Haryana polls. If they still want to, they can do so only with the permission of the high command. However, Babaria is unlikely to have made the comment without keeping the high command in the loop.

The issue is that last time, Congress could have formed a government but there was no clarity on whether it could have an alliance with the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) that ultimately joined hands with the BJP.

Selja is a powerful Dalit woman face in the Congress with proximity to the Gandhis. She can influence over nine assembly sets and if her workers are demoralised and decide to not work, it would end up harming the party.

Sources close to Surjewala, who is parked in Kaithal, say Babaria’s comment has not gone down well with his supporters. This could again demoralise the cadre and even an assembly seat to his son may not help matters.

The clause of no MP being given a ticket sends out a clear message that in case Congress wins the election in Haryana, none of the sitting MPs from the state, including Deepender Hooda, will be seen as the CM face. This effectively leaves Bhupinder Hooda as the chief ministerial pick.

The Congress is unlikely to announce anyone as the chief minister before results, but with Hooda Sr being the front-runner, the Grand Old Party hopes to capitalise on the negative feedback the BJP is getting in the state.

The BJP has already begun to ask about Rahul Gandhi’s pitch for OBCs and Dalits if he is not announcing Selja as CM face. Selja herself in the past has told News18 that the monopoly of any one person is unacceptable.

The deep schism within Haryana Congress is well known. Babaria’s comments have only deepened it. Will there be a rethink?