Selja-Hooda rivalry turns into election jugalbandi

NEW DELHI: Given the reins of Haryana Congress barely weeks before the elections, Kumari Selja redirected the party ship that was adrift for months.
Where the former Union minister got it right was in ensuring a working relationship with campaign committee chairman Bhupinder Singh Hooda despite past acrimony between them. The stability at the top projected Congress as a credible party, which was not affected by the spectacle that the midway defection of sacked party chief Ashok Tanwar triggered.
The Dalit leader worked under the radar as Hooda hogged the limelight to woo voters. The Dalit-Jat combination paid off for Congress. It did exceptionally well in Jat areas as also in SC-reserved constituencies while consolidating votes in general constituencies.
Many averred that a timely change of guard in the Congress unit could have taken the party over the line.
Considering the performance, if Selja’s aspiration to head Congress in Haryana turned out to be baptism by fire, she can claim vindication.
Heartened by the outcome though disappointed that the party fell just short, Selja told TOI, “The change of leadership in the state could have happened earlier. Still, we were able to consolidate our position. It is because of Congress’ strong challenge that BJP fell well short of majority when just months ago in the Lok Sabha elections it won in 79 of the 90 assembly segments.”
Selja said BJP was high on propaganda but low on work, and it showed in people’s aggressive voting against the government. “The Prime Minister was in Haryana every second day. Why? His campaign about Article 370 did not resonate with people because after five years, BJP had nothing to show in terms of their work. It was a diversionary campaign,” she argued.
The senior leader said that if BJP forms the government in Haryana, Congress will continue to consolidate itself while fighting for people. “It is an ideological battle and we will fight BJP every step of the way,” she said.
Drawing a national message from the results, Selja warned BJP, “In a democracy, you cannot write off people’s will. In its arrogance, BJP forgot that people have a mind of their own and their government would have to deliver. Just events and self-promotion do not work. The economic slowdown is hurting the society. We will take up people’s issues nationally.”