Lok Sabha MP from Sirsa, Kumari Sailaja is a veteran Congress leader. Five-time MP Shailja wants to strengthen her hold in Haryana politics. That is why he is preparing to try his luck in the assembly elections as an MP. Thus, if the assembly elections are contested and the Congress returns to power in Haryana, it can make a strong case for the post of CM as well. This is the reason why Bhupendra Hooda is more worried than BJP about Kumari Selja contesting assembly elections.
Bhupendra Hooda was the foremost
Congress has not announced any face as CM in Haryana assembly elections. Bhupendra Singh Hooda is being considered as a strong contender due to the way he is leading the Congress election campaign. After Kiran Chaudhary joined the BJP, Randeep Surjewala joined central politics and Kumari Selja was elected Lok Sabha MP from the Sirsa seat, Bhupendra Hooda considered himself the frontrunner in the CM race in the Congress. In such a situation, Shailja has now created trouble for Hooda by expressing his intention to contest assembly elections.
Bhupendra Singh Hooda-Kumari Shailja
Bhupendra Singh Hooda hails from the Jat community while Kumari Shailja hails from the Dalit community. Congress politics in Haryana depend on Jat and Dalit votes. In the 2019 assembly elections, the Congress gave a strong fight to the BJP on the strength of the pair of Hooda and Shailja. Bhupendra Hooda used to hold the reins of CLP and Shailja PCC presidents, but now the figure between the two is thirty-six. Hooda and Shailja have their own camp and are seen challenging each other. Hooda has maintained chemistry with state president Uday Bhan, while Shailja has a good rapport with Randeep Surjewala.
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Shailja added to Hooda’s woes
Both the Congress camps in Haryana are considered close to the party high command. Recently, both Bhupendra Hooda and Kumari Selja have made separate trips to the state to try to understand its political depth. Bhupendra Hooda and the state president are visiting all the districts and conducting thanksgiving programs. MP Dipendra Hooda is running the program ‘Haryana Mange Hisab’. Kumari Shailja is running the Sandesh Yatra of Congress. His aim is to strengthen the party in 40 urban seats of the country. Randeep Singh Surjewala is also conducting change rallies in various districts. Not only that, these leaders have united after giving an ultimatum to the top leadership to end factionalism, but now Shailja has created trouble for Hooda by announcing to contest the assembly polls.
Plan to contest assembly elections
Kumari Shailja said that I am planning to contest the Haryana assembly elections this time. He said that preparations should have been made for this before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, but Congress workers in both Sirsa and Ambala want me to contest the Lok Sabha elections. That is why I contested from Sirsa. Because this was an important election for the country and our party. He further said that now my supporters and well-wishers in the state are urging me to play a more active role in state politics and contest assembly elections. That’s why I’m thinking about it. However, Shailja also clarified that the final decision will be taken by the party leadership.
Election to Legislative Assembly as MP
Sirsa MP Kumari Shailja’s statement comes at a time when assembly elections have been announced. On the question of contesting assembly elections as an MP, Shailja said that there are many examples in the Congress party, in which Lok Sabha MPs have also contested assembly elections. So this is not an issue. On claiming the post of CM, he said that the Congress party, especially when it is in opposition, contests assembly elections without any chief ministerial candidate. Congress has already said that the same will happen in Haryana. The party will decide about the Congress Chief Minister after the elections.
Congress has to strike a balance
Kumari Shailja’s entry in the Haryana assembly elections is the biggest worry for Bhupendra Hooda. Hooda considers himself the frontrunner in the race for the CM post. Kumari Shailja contests the assembly elections and succeeds in becoming an MLA. In such a scenario, if the Congress returns to power in Haryana, Kumari Selja can also present her claim to Hooda for the Chief Minister’s post. Due to the kind of political environment in Haryana, there is hope for the return of Congress. In such a situation, the challenge of maintaining a political balance between Shailja and Hooda is emerging for the Congress.
