Differences among prominent leaders in Haryana Congress came to the fore at a meeting convened by Congress general secretary and in-charge of the party State affairs, Kamal Nath on Wednesday in New Delhi.
Nine leaders out of ten who attended the meeting expressed their displeasure over the functioning of the State party unit and also levelled allegations against each other during the meeting, sources said.
Those who attended the meeting included former Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda, party State chief Ashok Tanwar, Rajya Sabha MP Kumari Selja, ClP leader Kiran Choudhry, national chief party spokesman Randeep Surjewala, Adampur MlA Kuldeep Bishnoi, former Speaker Kuldeep Sharma, Shadi lal Batra and former State party chief Phool Chand Mullana.
Former Minister Capt. Ajay Yadav, who was invited for the meeting did not turn up to attend it. Capt. Yadav had been time and again issuing statements against former CM Hooda and his supporters.
While Kiran and Capt Yadav are considered close to Tanwar, Kuldeep Sharma, Shadi lal Batra and Mullana are known supporters of Hooda. Surjewala, Selja and Bishnoi, however, have not been seen aligning with any of the two factions within the State Congress.
Sources said the leaders of two camps levelled charges against each other in front of Kamal Nath with Hooda camp also demanding removal of Tanwar.
Following a war of words among prominent leaders during the meeting, Kamal Nath directed the State party leaders to put up a united front and refrain from issuing statements against each other.
The prominent leaders from the State were also told to unitedly raise significant issues like deteriorating law and order situation, atrocities on Dalits and women among others to connect with the people of the State.
Discussions were also held to constitute new zila and block committees in the State.
After failing to unite the party factions in Haryana Congress in a State executive meeting held earlier this month, Kamal Nath had convened another meeting on Wednesday.
The infighting in the Haryana Congress had escalated recently, among the two factions of party led Tanwar and another faction led by Hooda. Following Kiran Chaudhary’s statement praising Chief Minister Manohar lal Khattar and calling him an honest man, she faced verbal attacks from Hooda camp with some party leaders also demanding her resignation from the post of ClP leader on the issue.
Tanwar and Hooda camps have been speaking against each other for many months on various issues with Hooda camp also demanding removal of Tanwar from the post of state chief.
Several MlAs had met Kamal Nath in New Delhi in the past two weeks raising the issue of infighting in the State party unit and demanding removal of Tanwar.