Haryana Assembly's Winter Session Delayed as Opposition Leader Remains Unselected

The Haryana government is gearing up for its winter session of the Assembly, with Chief Minister Nayab Saini confirming that a letter has been sent to the Governor requesting the session's commencement. The session is likely to be scheduled for the second week of November, ahead of the Lok Sabha session starting November 25.

Unprecedented Political Situation

For the first time in Haryana's political history, the Assembly might conduct its proceedings without a Leader of Opposition. The Congress party, which secured 37 seats in the recent elections, has failed to nominate their leader despite more than a month passing since the election results were announced on October 8. 

Internal Party Conflicts

The delay stems from an ongoing power struggle between two prominent Congress factions. The Bhupinder Singh Hooda group, which previously held the Leader of Opposition position, faces resistance from the Kumari Selja faction. Hooda recently demonstrated his strength by gathering 31 MLAs in Delhi, while alternative candidates like Geeta Bhukkal from Jhajjar and Ashok Arora from Thanesar are also being considered. 

Government Preparations

Despite the opposition's internal matters, the government is moving forward with session preparations. The assembly has already conducted a one-day session where MLAs were sworn in and the Speaker and Deputy Speaker were elected. The upcoming winter session, expected to last two days, will be crucial as many first-time MLAs will present their constituency's demands.

Historical Context

This situation marks a significant departure from previous practices, where the Leader of Opposition was typically selected within 15 days of election results. The BJP's clear majority in the current assembly, combined with Congress's internal divisions, has created this unusual scenario in Haryana's legislative history.