Both senior BJP leader and former Haryana state Home Minister Anil Vij and senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Kumari Selja have indicated their interest for the chair of chief minister in Haryana after who-so-ever comes to majority. BJP leader Anil Vij and Congress leader Kumari Selja in her tussle with fellow claimants former CM Bhupinder Hooda, Randeep Surjewala has expressed desire for the top post in the state when it comes to power. However, Congress high command will take the final call, Kumari Selja said. With polling completed for the Haryana Assembly election on Saturday, the next big challenge for the main contenders: the BJP and the Congress is to select a Chief Minister to head the next government if they get a majority and come to power.
Senior BJP leader and former State Home Minister Anil Vij indicated his interest in the Chief Minister’s post on Saturday while talking to the media persons and said that the next meeting hopefully, will be held at CM residence at Chandigarh. While senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Kumari Selja, who has staked her claim for the top post in the state after the party gets majority on MLAs on Tuesday, yet she again asserted that the Chief Minister would be chosen by the party’s high command. According to party’s senior president Kharge the next CM for Haryana will be decided on the recommendation of elected MLAs. Information reveals, Hooda has left for New Delhi after meeting close candidates to have a meeting with Rahul Gandhi possible in this evening.
Before the counting of votes on 90 assembly seats of Haryana, there is a stir in the Congress. Almost all the exit polls have shown the Congress in exclusive majority, after which the tug of war for the CM’s chair between Hooda, Selja and Surjewala commenced, intensified. After the exit polls of Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections came out, the leaders of BJP and Congress have started working on the equations for forming the government in both Haryana and Jammu-Kashmir. There is a fierce battle going on in the Congress for the post of Chief Minister in Haryana, while the BJP has started lobbying with the hope of becoming the largest party or still hopes to get majority since most of the senior BJP leaders in the state saying that exit polls are not always true, merely based upon the rumours. However, BJP leaders in the state internally believe that the party’s comeback in Haryana is difficult.
Exit polls by most of the channels and leading newspapers have indicated the return of Congress with full majority in Haryana after a decade. Only one question- Hooda or someone else? The tussle between Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Kumari Shailja and Randeep Surjewala for the post of Chief Minister is well known for the last several months. Even before the election results, Hooda has started talking to his supporting candidates. On the other hand, Selja and Surjewala are hopeful of the high command. All three leaders are claiming themselves to be in the race for the Chief Minister. The party is talking about making the CM after the results with the opinion of the MLAs but the high command will take a decision after looking at the political pros and cons.
Most of the senior Congress leaders believe Bhupinder Singh Hooda as No.1 contender having an impact on nearly two and a half dozen seats of Jat dominated districts in the state where Congress expects good success. Moreover, Hooda has experience of being CM of the state twice in the past, well aware of the history of all political leaders in Haryana state, not only in Congress but the leaders of all rival political parties. On the other hand, Kumari Selja claims that by having good votes and support from the Dalit community, it can send a message to the country and reward loyalty, besides having a lot of experience of being in the state government. When questioned four times MP from Rohtak Deepender Hooda to give him an opportunity to become the CM, he said since the age of his father Bhupendra Hooda was 77 years, the party can give him a chance of bringing the youths forward.
