Hooda versus ED sets the tempo for ensuing Haryana elections

By G. Krishna Mohan Rao

Today the Enforcement Directorate (ED) attached assets worth Rs. 834 crore of former Haryana chief minister and Congress Party leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda in Delhi and Gurgaon, in a money laundering case also involving EMAAR and MGF Developments Limited.

The ED’s move comes at a time when Haryana is set to witness a battle royal between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress party. The state is going to polls on October 1, 2024, to elect members of its 90-member assembly.

The BJP, which has been in power in Haryana for the past ten years, is attempting to battle anti-incumbency as well as internal dissensions.

Political observers feel that unless the BJP does something spectacular to retain power, the Congress has a distinct advantage. It is being said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be campaigning extensively in the state but, like it has been often proved, state elections are always dominated by local issues. Many in the BJP believe that if Manohar Lal Khattar, now Union Minister for Urban Development, had been allowed to continue as the Chief Minister, the BJP would have been better placed.

Despite the Congress Party seemingly having an edge, factionalism is visible in the party. A common perception is that if the elections are contested under the overall leadership of former Chief Minister Hooda, the chances of the party winning would be higher. The general atmosphere in the state favours a change and the Congress can cash in on this sentiment if Hooda gets a free hand. Senior Congress MP, Kumari Selja, who got elected to Lok Sabha from Sirsa seat, is also drawing big crowds at her meetings. The anti-Hooda faction is rallying around her.

Still, more than the Congress, it is the ruling BJP which has been facing many rumblings within the ranks. The BJP had managed to win the last two elections, using the anti-Jat sentiment formula devised by the late Bhajan Lal. However, the road ahead is going to be very bumpy since many communities that supported the BJP were willing to join hands with the Congress this time. Moreover, the BJP faces a problem like it did in Punjab and its nominees would find it difficult to solicit support in the rural areas in view of the farmers’ dissatisfaction.

The BJP has many internal issues which need to be addressed. For example, former deputy CM, Anil Vij is brooding at being sidelined after the last reshuffle. Former party chief Ram Bilas Sharma feels marginalised. Captain Abhimanyu was hopeful that he would be given a Lok Sabha ticket but was overlooked. Supporters of Rao Inderjit, a Union Minister of State, are unhappy that their leader has not been projected as the chief minister despite his seniority.

Kuldeep Bishnoi, son of former CM Bhajan Lal, who had joined the BJP after being disillusioned with the Congress, is miffed that instead of him, Kiran Chaudhry, daughter-in-law of former CM, Bansi Lal, has been given Rajya Sabha nomination from Haryana in the seat vacated by Congress leader Deepender Hooda. Kiran had recently joined the BJP and it is expected that her daughter Shruti may now contest the assembly polls from Tosham, which has been the family bastion and could face, her cousin, who the Congress may field.

Despite the internal problems, both the BJP are the Congress are now busy in the selection of candidates. Though the BJP is yet to indicate its approach and strategy for the selection of candidates, the Congress is all open and adopting a more transparent approach. A senior party functionary of the BJP said that by next week, the first list of candidates would be released.

The Congress has identified seats based on caste domination and thus the nominees who shall be fielded would be from those communities which have the largest say. It is being assumed that the Jats, who are against the BJP, would all stand by the party due to Hooda’s leadership and thus, the Congress would have the opportunity to explore options of giving tickets to those from many other castes.

There are also constituencies, where the Congress has not won for a long time and thus, they would get the attention of the party High Command. Sources said all the sitting MLAs are unlikely to be repeated and thus many could end up not getting the nomination. The party based on surveys has also identified the bell weather seats, meaning that the party which forms the government in the State, usually wins these constituencies also. Therefore, the approach appears to be extremely scientific but unless it gets implemented through proper monitoring, the party may not reap the political dividends. The BJP is not going to sit idle and allow the state to slip away so easily and would leave no stone unturned to retain its hold in Haryana.

*Senior journalist