Amid speculation of a leadership change in Haryana, the Congress state unit chief Ashok Tanwar on Friday claimed that he would continue on the top post following the consent of party’s high command.
The Haryana Congress unit, which is plagued with factionalism, had suffered a complete wipe-out in the Lok Sabha polls in the state. Post-defeat, the infighting is raging in Haryana Congress with demand for change of guard in the state unit ahead of State Assembly elections, due to be held in October this year.
Tanwar, however, on Friday claimed that he has been asked to continue working and has already begun preparations for the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections.
Refuting the reports of major organizational changes in the state Congress unit ahead of elections, he said, “The directions (of party high command) is to work unitedly for the polls and I have begun working for that.”
Announcing an election planning and management committee (EPMC) for the assembly polls, Tanwar said that its first meeting will be held on July 8 in Delhi, where discussion on preparations for the upcoming polls would be held.
When asked whether the All India Congress Committee (AICC) has approved the constitution of EPMC, the state Congress chief said that the AICC will make separate committees for the polls later but I am authorized to constitute such committees at the state level.
The EPMC will further have sub-committees including manifesto committee, media committee, campaign committee among others, he added.
Sudesh Aggarwal, former national president of Smast Bhartiya Party that was merged with the Congress in March has been appointed as the convener of the committee.
Invitations have been sent to former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, CLP Leader Kiran Choudhry, former Union Minister Kumari Selja, MLAs Randeep Surjewala and Kuldeep Bishnoi and former Minister Capt. Ajay Singh Yadav to be part of the EPMC, Tanwar said while adding that either the invited leaders may attend the meeting in person or nominate their authorized representative to attend it. Each meeting of EPMC will be chaired by one of the members present on that day, he added.
Interestingly, in the faction-ridden Haryana Congress unit, Ashok Tanwar, former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Congress in-charge of communications Randeep Singh Surjewala, MLA Kuldeep Bishnoi among others are heading separate factions and also eyeing the Chief Ministerial post in the State Assembly polls.
On a question whether he would resign from his post like Congress national president Rahul Gandhi, who took responsibility of party’s poor performance in Lok Sabha polls, Tanwar said, “I have talked twice so far with AICC leadership on this issue. The mandate from the AICC is to work… I won’t repeat these things on a public platform.”
“The loss in Lok Sabha polls in the state has to be a collective responsibility. I have even offered my life for the party,” said Tanwar, apparently referring to his statement “If you want to finish me, shoot me” made during a party’s meeting in New Delhi where he was blamed for election rout in Haryana.
The MLAs loyal to Bhupinder Singh Hooda had pressed for a leadership change in Haryana and had mentioned that it’s under Tanwar’s leadership that the Congress has been decimated in Haryana in two Lok Sabha elections (2014 and 2019) and one assembly poll (2014).
The change in the leadership, however, seems unfeasible following Rahul Gandhi’s resignation from the top post. With less than 100 days left for the crucial assembly elections and no immediate solution in sight to resolve infighting, the divided state party unit is now on its own to face the upcoming polls.
Post Lok Sabha defeat, the meetings presided over by Rahul Gandhi and Congress' general secretary-incharge of Haryana, Ghulam Nabi Azad with the state party leaders had failed to yield any positive results.
The party does not even have organizational structure in Haryana.
On this, Tanwar said there would not be any release of list of district and block presidents but we will constitute district level committees to strengthen the party at grassroot level.
About ticket distribution, the state party chief said that the process will begin soon and applications will be invited for candidate selection. The issue will be discussed in EPMC meeting on July 8, he added.
When asked about the decision on the name of Leader of opposition to be appointed by Congress, he said that there has been no agreement on this issue so far. Notably, the Congress had scored a duck in Haryana which has 10 Lok Sabha seats. Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda had lost the Lok Sabha poll which he contested from Sonepat seat. Tanwar had himself lost from Sirsa parliamentary constituency.