Dynasts, defeated candidates and favourites dominate Haryana Congress list

New Delhi: Political lineage seems to be the sole criteria for getting a Congress ticket in Haryana.

A look at the Congress party's list of candidates clearly suggests that political families were given preference over others.

Sons of Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala (Aditya from Kaithal), former Haryana chief minister Bhajan Lal (Chandra Mohan from Panchkula) and party's Lok Sabha member Jai Prakash (Vikas Saharan from Kalayat) are among such candidates.

Wife of sitting Lok Sabha member Varun Chaudhary (Pooja from Mulana), son of former minister Harmohinder Singh Chatha (Mandeep from Pehowa) and son of former minister Mahendra Pratap who lost the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Faridabad (Vijay Pratap from Badkhal) also figure in the list.

Congress general secretary in-charge of Haryana Deepak Babaria had forcefully stated that those who had lost twice in the past elections would not be fielded this time. This norm has gone for a toss.

Varinder Singh Rathore, who lost the elections thrice in the past, has again been fielded from Gharaunda and Rao Narender, who lost twice and came third on both occasions, has been re-nominated from Narnaul.

Sombir Singh (Sheoran), who lost from Loharu in the past, has been given a ticket from Badhra and Parag Sharma, considered close to Congress general secretary in-charge organisation KC Venugopal, will contest from Ballabgarh.

The move to field dynasts has triggered widespread resentment in the Haryana Congress. "To get the party ticket in Haryana, it is imperative to be the son of an influential father. Unfortunately, my father has never been a legislator or a Member of Parliament," said a Congress leader who was denied a ticket despite working hard in his constituency.

The list has a clear stamp of former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The tussle between him and senior leader Kumari Selja over the selection of candidates forced the Congress high command to release the list just before the closing of the nominations. The leadership feared rebellion and exodus by those who were denied tickets.