There are signs that the displeasure of Congress leader Kumari Selja, who has been keeping away from campaigning for party candidates since the announcement of elections in Haryana, is subsiding. BJP was constantly targeting Congress for Dalit leader Selja being absent from the election scene. Signs of Selja’s displeasure subsiding are coming from the fact that party general secretary Randeep Surjewala said on Monday that she will address an election meeting in Narwana on September 26. Selja is considered a prominent Dalit face in Congress and it was believed that due to her not being active in the elections, the party could have lost Dalit votes. On the other hand, BJP was getting an opportunity to attack Congress over the internal strife within it.
Surjewala wrote on Instagram on Monday, ‘Today I will address 22 public meetings for Congress candidate Satbir Dablain in Narwana. We will hoist the flag of Congress’ victory in the entire district and Haryana. MP and elder sister Kumari Selja will also address a public meeting in Narwana on the 26th at 12 noon and campaign for the Congress.’ He said that under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge ji, Congress will fight, win and make the dreams of Haryana come true.
What was Kumari Selja angry about
It is believed that Selja is upset that the party has given a free hand to his arch rival and former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda in ticket distribution, as most of the candidates who got tickets are considered close to Hooda. Most of the 17 reserved (SC) seats in the state have been given tickets by Hooda’s loyalists. Former Union Minister Selja has a good support base in many districts including Sirsa, Ambala and Hisar.
Many BJP leaders are targeting the Congress over the alleged insult of Selja. Voting is going to be held in Haryana on October 5 and the counting of votes will take place on October 8. In such a situation, the ruling BJP is constantly targeting the Congress for the Dalit leader staying away from the election campaign. Recently, Union Minister and senior BJP leader Manohar Lal Khattar had invited Selja to join his party. Former Haryana Chief Minister Khattar had also pointed to the alleged infighting in the Congress state unit ahead of the assembly elections.
How did the speculation of displeasure gain momentum?
Kumari Selja last attended events in support of party candidates Shamsher Singh Gogi and Shaili Chaudhary on September 11. Selja was also not present at the occasion of the release of the ‘guarantee’ by the party at the Congress headquarters in Delhi. A party leader says that the former Union Minister is not holding any post in the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee. In such a situation, there is no point in raising questions about her absence.
The Congress leader said, ‘Randeep Surjewala and Deepender Hooda were also not present on the occasion of issuing the guarantee on behalf of the party. In such a situation, there is no point in raising questions about Selja’s absence.’ A few days ago, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram had said that there is no rift in the Haryana Pradesh Congress. He said, ‘My good friend Selja has not said a single word against Bhupendra Singh Hooda, nor has Hooda said a single word against Selja. Therefore, we are a united party. We will fight this election unitedly.’
