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India Today
17-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Can Congress's Haryana revamp serve as its template for other states?
After years of organisational drift, the Congress in Haryana is attempting a structural reset that could determine whether it remains electorally relevant in the part of its 'Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan' (Organisational Rejuvenation Campaign), the party is set to appoint a new crop of District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents across Haryana—for the first time through a semi-democratic, consultative high command is expected to finalise and announce the new district chiefs by the end of July. According to B.K. Hariprasad, AICC general secretary in charge of Haryana, the party has received feedback from all districts. 'Some districts sent two to three names, others five to six. The observers have done interviews, and deliberations are on,' he eligibility criteria for DCC presidents include at least five years of party work and being in the age group of 35-55. However, caste representation and district-level political suitability will also play a decisive role. Party insiders say the AICC observers—appointed in coordination with the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC)—conducted extensive interviews with shortlisted candidates, assessing their ideological alignment, ability to counter the BJP-RSS narrative and potential to unify faction-ridden local units. Special emphasis was laid on including women, minorities and grassroots organisers with credibility beyond the party the first week of June, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi made a brief visit to the Haryana Congress headquarters in Chandigarh to convene a meeting of a 17-member committee, comprising senior state leaders and AICC officials. Among them were former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Haryana PCC chief Uday Bhan, Lok Sabha MP Kumari Selja, former Union minister Birender Singh, and Rohtak MP Deepender reportedly urged them to rein in factionalism. Subsequently, the AICC appointed 22 observers, including MPs and former ministers, to work alongside the 51 Haryana PCC-appointed observers to assess aspirants across marks the first time in over a decade that the Congress is methodically rebuilding its organisational pyramid in Haryana. Earlier attempts floundered. When Rahul loyalist Ashok Tanwar was the state unit chief, the Hooda camp resisted; when Kumari Selja and later Uday Bhan took charge, factionalism continued to plague the process. The 2024 assembly polls exposed the underbelly of a defunct organisation, with the BJP managing an improbable win—securing 48 seats in the 90-member the overhaul was inevitable. In the past, appointments were largely top-down—decided by the state Congress president in consultation with the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader. This time, however, the exercise carries the imprint of Rahul's push for internal reform, catalysed by his visit to Chandigarh after the party's electoral Congress appears to be adopting a hybrid model—partly democratic, partly high command-driven. It resembles the BJP's older practice of appointing district presidents based on ground-level feedback from RSS-aligned workers but retains Congress's penchant for top-down endorsement. Whether this becomes a durable template remains to be the Congress is rolling out similar Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan exercises in Gujarat, Odisha, Himachal Pradesh and other states where the party faces organisational atrophy but harbours electoral ambition. Haryana, with its history of alternating governments and caste-based polarisation, could serve as a pilot model for this new approach to internal the surface of this rejuvenation effort, however, lies an unspoken tension: the Congress high command's unease with Bhupinder Hooda's continuing dominance in Haryana. His loyalists currently account for 32 of the party MLAs and four of its five Lok Sabha MPs. PCC chief Uday Bhan is also from the Hooda camp. Yet, the high command has conspicuously left the CLP leadership post vacant, refusing to officially confirm Hooda as its is growing apprehension in Delhi that Hooda may continue to treat the Haryana unit as a political fiefdom, restricting the rise of new voices and alternative power centres. The central leadership is wary—its unplanned removal of Captain Amarinder Singh as Punjab chief minister in 2021 led to a party collapse and paved the way for the Aam Aadmi Party's aftershocks of that misstep echoed in Rajasthan (where Ashok Gehlot resisted pressure), Chhattisgarh (with Bhupesh Baghel's dominance), and now Karnataka, where balancing Siddaramaiah's influence remains a this context, the Haryana reboot is being viewed as a test case of whether the Congress high command can assert itself without alienating powerful regional satraps. Political observers in the state are watching closely: will the new DCC appointments reflect Hooda's continued influence or signal a shift toward a broader, more inclusive mandate from Delhi? Once the list is made public, it will serve as a litmus test for assessing the strength of the Hooda camp in the restructured the new DCC chiefs are not just symbolic. According to party sources, they will have the power to recommend election candidates—though they themselves must resign from their DCC posts at least 18 months prior if they wish to contest. This makes them pivotal figures in candidate selection and grassroots mobilisation for the Lok Sabha and assembly elections in yet, scepticism persists. 'This looks good on paper, but we don't yet know whether the final list will reflect ground realities or be reduced to political tokenism. If Delhi imposes names without genuine local consultation, it could backfire,' a senior Congress leader from Haryana once-formidable BJP-JJP (Jannayak Janta Party) combine is now history. The BJP contested and won the 2024 Lok Sabha and assembly elections on its own. In a bid to revive their fortunes, the Dushayant Chautala-led JJP and uncle Abhay Chautala-led Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) are looking at how Congress deals with an ageing Hooda, 77. The Chautala family competes with Hooda for the dominance of Jat voters. This bloc could easily shift towards them if the Congress doesn't plan the transition is perceived that the BJP's Nayab Saini government takes cues from Saini's political guru and predecessor Manohar Lal Khattar and that decision-making is dominated by a group of bureaucrats. Thus the Congress senses an unless the new DCC chiefs can overcome the legacy of internal sabotage, caste tokenism and organisational apathy, they may end up as placeholders rather than powerbrokers. For the Congress to mount a credible challenge in 2029, these appointments must go beyond symbolism. The Congress's future in Haryana may hinge on whether this quiet overhaul results in genuine grassroots mobilisation or fizzles out as yet another aborted experiment in to India Today Magazine- Ends advertisement
India Gazette
13-06-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"There should be proper investigation into the incident": Congress MP Kumari Selja on Ahmedabad plane crash
Kota (Rajasthan) [India], June 13 (ANI): Congress MP Kumari Selja called the Ahmedabad plane crash one of the most serious incidents in aviation. She demanded a proper investigation into the accident. Speaking to ANI, Kumari Selja said, 'This is one of the most serious incidents in aviation. A daughter of Haryana was also among those who died on board the plane that crashed. There should be a proper investigation into the incident.' Congress on Friday extended its deepest condolences to all families bereaved and devastatingly affected by the crash of Air India-171 that left 241 people dead. In a post on X, Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said on Friday, 'The Indian National Congress extends its deepest condolences to all the families bereaved and so devastatingly affected by the crash of AI-171 yesterday. We had hoped and prayed while awaiting confirmation of fatalities. The confirmation is grim news, and the INC joins the nation in our collective anguish and grief over this most unfortunate and shocking tragedy.' Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi expressed their grief following the plane crash. Sonia Gandhi, in a statement, said, 'I am deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad. My thoughts are with the families of the passengers and the crew. The visuals are most heart-wrenching. The entire country is overtaken by grief and is praying.' Rahul Gandhi urged Congress workers to help with rescue and relief efforts. He said, 'The Ahmedabad Air India crash is heartbreaking. The pain and anxiety the families of the passengers and crew must be feeling is unimaginable. My thoughts are with each one of them in this incredibly difficult moment. Urgent rescue and relief efforts by the administration are critical - every life matters, every second counts. Congress workers must do everything they can to help on the ground.' The AI-171 Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 aeroplane bound for London had crashed shortly after it took off from the Ahmedabad International Airport on Thursday. The airlines said only one out of the 242 people on board the aircraft survived the crash, claiming the lives of 241 people on board, including 12 crew members. A formal investigation has been launched by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) into the deadly crash, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu confirmed on Thursday. (ANI)
Time of India
31-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
BJP politicising Operation Sindoor for electoral gain, alleges Kumari Selja; Congress MP slams BJP for silence on leaders' insulting women
Hisar: Congress general secretary and Sirsa MP Kumari Selja has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of exploiting Operation Sindoor for political gain instead of uniting the nation in the fight against terrorism. A ddressing the media in Hisar on Friday, she praised the Army's courage but criticised the BJP-led central govt for what she described as its failure to uphold democratic values. "The Army has made the nation proud consistently with its bravery," Selja said. "But rather than recognising this nationally, the BJP is using the counter-terrorism operation after the Pahalgam attack to serve its own political agenda. " She said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had made it clear that the party stood with the govt in combating terrorism, yet the BJP refused to acknowledge bipartisan support or uphold Parliamentary decorum. Selja also condemned the governing party's silence on what she called "repeated instances of disrespect" towards women by senior BJP members. "Insulting women's dignity cannot be brushed aside. The BJP must act decisively rather than protect those responsible," she said. Turning to regional issues, Selja demanded quick action on the long-standing Satluj-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal dispute, urging Punjab to release Haryana's rightful share of water. She accused both the central and Haryana govts of inaction. "The Haryana govt is only making statements. On the ground, nothing is being done," she claimed, adding that a breakdown in coordination between the administration and the BJP govt had left citizens to "run from pillar to post" for basic services. Several senior Congress figures, including former Haryana Public Service Commission member Jagannath, ex-judicial tax tribunal member Harpal Boora, advocate Lal Bahadur Khowal, and Krishna Satrod attended the press briefing. MSID:: 121536343 413 |
Time of India
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
BJP fabricating Herald ‘case' to divert people's focus from unemployment, poor economy & social unrest: Cong
Bhopal: Lok Sabha MP and AICC general secretary Kumari Selja on Monday said that the National Herald case is a conspiracy of the BJP to divert the attention of the people from burning issues facing the country. She alleged that the BJP is misleading the country and called it the ruling party's 'political revenge'. "The National Herald case is a political vendetta by the BJP to misguide and divert the attention of the people from the burning issues the people of country are facing. The chargesheet filed by the ED against Congress' Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Lok Sabha LOP Rahul Gandhi is nothing but a fabricated lie to confuse and mislead the people," Kumari Selja said, addressing a press conference at the state Congress office here. "BJP is fabricating a non-existent case to divert their attention from unemployment, falling GDP, and social unrest. Congress party leadership is being deliberately targeted to divert attention from the economic crisis, people's issues, and foreign policy challenges — USA, China, and Bangladesh," the AICC general secretary said. "This is nothing but vendetta in legal garb. For the first time, a money laundering case was made out without the transfer of any money or assets. Where are the proceeds of crime?" she asked. She defended that there was no violation of law. When there is no money, where is the laundering or crime, she asked. "If a company wants to get rid of debt, it forms a new company and transfers that debt to the new company — this is legal as per the Companies Act. When there is no money, where is the laundering? If there was a crime, it was committed by two masterminds who misused the law by spreading false propaganda of money laundering — Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like News For Jack Nicholson, 87, He Has Been Confirmed To Be... Reportingly Undo In a scathing attack on the BJP govt, Kumari Selja said, "The Enforcement Directorate must answer why the agency has not touched any NDA ally or BJP leader. The govt has made ED its election department and is misusing it time and again in a spirit of vindictiveness. The conviction rate in ED cases is just 1%. Moreover, 98% of the political cases registered by ED are against the political rivals of the ruling party. This case will completely fail in court. This is politics of vengeance, intimidation, harassment, and fear-mongering at the behest of two people in the govt. No matter how much they try to silence us, we will not be silenced," she said. Selja pointed out that in 2013, former law minister Subramanian Swamy filed a case in the court, which he continued till 2020. "However, when he started criticising PM Modi and Shah, the govt, feeling insecure, shut down its operations. Earlier, Subramanian Swamy's complaint to the Election Commission in 2012 was dismissed. The Election Commission ruled that under Sections 29(b) and 29(c) of the Representation of the People Act, there is no restriction on how a political party can use its funds," Selja said. She argued that in August 2015, the ED found no wrongdoing and closed the file. "The Modi govt removed the then ED director Rajan Katoch and reopened the case in Sept 2015, which is a clear example of political vendetta," she said. Reacting to Kumari Selja's accusations, state BJP spokesman Rajpal Singh Sisodia said, "The National Herald case started in 2012, at that time the Congress govt was in power in the country. On a public interest petition, the Delhi High Court started hearing in this case in 2013 and the case was registered in 2013 itself. At that time too, the Congress govt was in power. In such a situation, who brought forward the names of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Sam Pitroda in the ED chargesheet? Instead of blaming the Modi govt, the Congress party should introspect as to who hatched this conspiracy against its leaders."
Time of India
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
National Herald case: Kumari Selja slams BJP, says Congress will hold protests from April 25
Congress general secretary and Lok Sabha MP Kumari Selja on Monday called the action in the National Herald case a BJP conspiracy to divert people's attention from burning issues and announced that her party would hold rallies across the country from April 25 in this regard. The Enforcement Directorate recently filed a chargesheet against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case accusing them of laundering Rs 988 crore. "It is a BJP conspiracy. It is political revenge. Under our 'Save Constitution' campaign underway since last year, we are going to hold rallies nationwide from April 25 to 30. It will be held at district level between May 3 and 10, at the assembly constituency level from May 11 to 17," Selja told reporters. "As part of the campaign, we will launch a door-to-door public contact programme from May 20 to 30 to dispel the BJP's misinformation drive, which is to distract people's attention from the real issues like unemployment, falling GDP and social unrest," said Selja, one of the Congress' senior Dalit leaders. She asserted that there was no money laundering angle to the National Herald case and said it would not stand in court. 5 5 Next Stay Playback speed 1x Normal Back 0.25x 0.5x 1x Normal 1.5x 2x 5 5 / Skip Ads by by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like People In Delhi Say Goodbye To Mosquitoes With This Revolutionary Solution Mosquito Eliminator Read More Undo Slamming the ED, she asked why the probe agency had "not touched an NDA ally or a BJP leader so far". "The BJP government has made ED its election department and was misusing it again and again to take revenge. The conviction rate in ED cases is 1 per cent. Moreover, out of political cases, it has lodged 98 per cent cases against political rivals," the MP from Haryana's Sirsa alleged., she said.
