Discontent rising in congress party after lok sabha ticket distribution

What if the children of powerful political dynasties in one state wish to fight the country’s biggest election, the Lok sabha election and another big leader of that state crushes their dreams just ahead of the election? This is what’s happening in Haryana’s congress party just ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election. As Congress released the name of its last and 9th candidate on 30th April for the Gurugram seat of Haryana, the discontent boiling in the party started surfacing from different sides. Congress party prioritized the name of actor Raj Babbar over the congress OBC cell head and veteran leader Capt. Ajay Yadav.

The names of both leaders were making rounds in the political circles of the state before the final announcement and Capt. Ajay Yadav was expecting his name in the race with Raj Babbar because of the latter being an outsider from Uttar Pradesh.  Capt. Ajay Yadav expressed his resentment against the final decision made by the party while talking to the media and said that he respects the final verdict given by the party and abides by it, but whoever has decided on the party tickets for the Lok Sabha elections is plotting to completely sideline senior party leaders of the state. He further expressed his discontent taking the names of other leaders who were also denied tickets by the congress party.

Taking the names of Sir Choturam’s grandson, former union minister Birender Singh, and Kiran Chaudhary, the daughter-in-law of  Bansilal who served as Haryana’s CM 3 times, he said these leaders are also sidelined likewise. Notably, the leaders who were denied tickets include Ch. Birender Singh and his son Brijinder Singh, Kiran Chaudhry and her daughter Shruti Chaudhry, Karna Dalal and Maratha Virender Verma. The five-term MLA from Faridabad Karan Singh Dalal has already expressed his annoyance at not being selected for a party ticket this year, while Kiran Chaudhary and Shruti Chaudhary are also believed to be in discomfort with the party decision.

Though both the leaders from Bhiwani said that they would support the candidature of Rao dan Singh who is contesting from the Mahendargarh- Bhiwani seat and will abide by the party’s decision Shurti also cried during the public meeting in Bhiwani. Both the leaders were expecting the ticket from Bhiwani as they were the flag bearers of the congress party in the region.  Now, no prize for guessing right that all these leaders and their discontent are clearly against the de facto head of the Congress party and the two-time CM of Haryana, Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

 As was expected and proved true, the congress party's high command completely surrendered in front of the senior Hooda. As Raj Babbar's closeness with the Hooda family is known worldwide it was expected that the senior Hooda would vouch for the veteran actor and it also proved true. While Kiran Chaudhary is considered a the member of SRK group in Haryana and Rao Dan Singh is a closer aide of Bhupinder Singh Hooda, it wasn’t surprising that Hooda went with the latter for the mahendargarh-bhiwani seat.

As the observers are saying, for the Hisar seat, Hooda denied the ticket to his cousin brother Birender Singh, and his son Brijendera Singh because he didn’t want to create one more power center in the state against him. Surprisingly, the 2024 Lok Sabha election is the first instance in many years when the congress party is going to the polls with just two Jat candidates from Haryana. With just 25 days remaining for the polling day, the politics in the state is heating up. Only time will tell how Hooda’s single-handed batting and discontent in the party will impact the poll performance of Congress in the state.