After Haryana Congress workers clash in New Delhi last October which had escalated infighting in the party, former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his detractor state party chief Ashok Tanwar attended a party meeting together on Wednesday.
The two rivals came face-to-face after a long time at a meeting held under former Union Minister and state returning officer Pradeep Kumar Jain to discuss the forthcoming organisational elections.
While Hooda and Tanwar did not exchange greetings and avoided each other, the hours long meeting behind closed doors witnessed heated exchange of words between their supporters.
Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda, Kumari Selja and 11 loyalists MlAs of Hooda attended the meeting. However, Congress legislature party leader Kiran Choudhary, MlAs Kuldeep Bishnoi, Renuka Bishnoi, Randeep Surjewala did not attend the meeting.
Notably, not a single MlA and MPs had attended the meeting convened on May 30 by Ashok Tanwar for holding discussions on organizational elections. 12 MlAs who are Hooda’s loyalists had skipped the meeting and had been pushing for Tanwars removal as the party's state chief.
After Wednesday’s meeting, Pradeep Jain while talking to the mediapersons said, “All things pertaining to the organisational election were discussed and views of the members who attended it were sought."
When asked about infighting in the party, he denied such reports. About Surjewala not attending the meeting, Jain said, "Being the in-charge of the AICC's communication department, he is busy in Delhi.
The two-time former Chief Minister Hooda said that the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere.
Asked if there was a heated argument between Tanwar and MlAs loyal to him during the meeting, Hooda claimed that there was no heated exchange.
Ashok Tanwar also played down any difference between him and Hooda saying, “There are no differences between Hooda and me.”
About organisational polls, he said that polls are scheduled to be held between September and October this year.
Notably, Hooda and Tanwar have been at loggerheads for a long time and the bickering had escalated after the party workers clash in New Delhi last year where Tanwar had sustained injuries.
Following this, Tanwar had accused Hooda for the attack on him. On the other hand, the MlAs, owing allegiance to former Chief Minister had made it clear to the party high command that they will not attend any party meeting convened by Tanwar.
Meanwhile, all the Congress leaders on Wednesday criticized Haryana Minister Anil Vij for his statement on 2007 Samjhauta Express blast case. A day before, Vij had accused the grand-old party of coining the term Hindu terrorism and said that the term was used by the party for 'political mileage'.
ENDS