Haryana polls: Venugopal and Maken under fire for ceding "too much space" to Hooda family

New Delhi: The Congress high command is said to be upset with general secretary organisation KC Venugopal and party treasurer Ajay Maken for going overboard in conceding all the demands of former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his son Deepender in ticket distribution while ignoring seniors such as Kumari Selja and Randeep Singh Surjewala.

Congress sources said Rahul Gandhi, in particular, is peeved over the fact that the two central functionaries failed to remain neutral during the candidate selection process.

Though the sources added that Rahul Gandhi had indicated that the Hoodas should be given a free hand in the overall election management, he never suggested that the party should surrender before them.

As a result, a sulking Selja has stayed away from campaigning in the poll-bound state since September 11.

The sources further said Rahul Gandhi has refused to campaign in Haryana and told the party leaders to settle the Selja issue first.

Similarly, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge refused to go to Haryana today. The sources said Hooda along with Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan personally met Kharge today to accompany him to Gharaunda in Karnal and Ambala where he was supposed to address election meetings.

However, the Congress president refused to go insisting that they should make serious efforts to end the ongoing infighting in the state unit.

Later, it was said that the programme has been cancelled due to his health reasons.

The infighting could dent the electoral prospects of the Congress at a time when its chances of ousting the BJP from power in Haryana appear bright.

While Rahul Gandhi has directed the party leaders to resolve the mess and prevent Haryana from going the Madhya Pradesh ans Chhattisgarh way, Selja too on her part dismissed all rumours about her quitting the Congress and joining the BJP after former Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar invited her to join the saffron party.

“BJP leaders should refrain from giving me advice. Congress runs through my veins, just as my father passed away wrapped in the Tricolour. I, too, will go wrapped in that same Tricolour one day," she said in a programme on a news channel.

Haryana Congress leaders have also alleged that the Hooda family has put up independent candidates against the official party nominees in many constituencies.

In Ballabgarh, Sharda Rathore, considered close to Hoodas, is contesting as an independent with Parag Sharma, who was given ticket on the recommendation of Venugopal, being the official Congress candidate.

Similarly, Hoodas' favourites Lalit Nagar is contesting as an independent in Tigaon and so is Satbir Ratera from Bhawani Khera. While Rohit Nagar is the official Congress candidate from Tigaon, the party has fielded Pradeep Narwal from Bhawani Khera.

The Congress leaders further claimed that Hoodas made no effort to persuade rebel candidate Chitra Sarwara to withdraw from the contest in Ambala Cantonment in favour of party nominee Parimal Parri but at the same time ensured that another rebel Himmat Singh quits the race in favour of party candidate Nirmal Singh from Ambala City. Nirmal Singh is the father of Chitra Sarwara.

If the Congress fails to check internal dissensions, Haryana might go Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh way as apprehended by Rahul Gandhi.

In Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, the Congress had looked very strong on paper and all set to win the assembly elections in November-December last year but had to bite the dust due to severe infighting in the respective state units. The BJP won both the states.