High Stakes in Haryana: Congress Faces Leadership Dilemma

As Haryana assembly poll results approach, the Congress party faces a leadership contest, with former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Dalit leader Kumari Selja vying for the CM position. The party’s high command, weighing mass appeal and regional satrap tendencies, will make the final decision.

As Haryana's assembly poll results loom, the battle for chief ministership intensifies within Congress. Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the former chief minister, eyes a potential return, supported by his influential role in selecting over 70 candidates for the state elections.

However, Kumari Selja, a prominent Dalit leader, has made a surprising public bid for the CM post, complicating Hooda's anticipated leadership. Selja's move underscores her strategic positioning amid Congress's ongoing emphasis on the Dalit card nationally, exemplified by their 'Save Constitution' campaign.

Congress's approach of honoring mass leaders like Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in Himachal and Siddaramaiah in Karnataka reflects the party's recent inclination, suggesting that the high command's decision post-results will heavily consider grassroots influence and elected MLAs' opinions.

(With inputs from agencies.)