Congress Likely to Run Haryana Race Without CM Face

The Congress party is playing its cards close to the chest in Haryana, hinting that it may not name a chief ministerial candidate ahead of the state's Assembly elections in October. This revelation came from Deepak Babaria, the Congress general secretary in charge of Haryana, during a press conference.

No CM Face, No Problem? 

Responding to BJP's announcement of fighting elections under current Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini's leadership, Babaria emphasized the Congress party's long-standing tradition. "The Congress' 70-year-old tradition is that whoever is elected by the legislature party, and 99.99 percent precedence is that it authorizes the Congress president to name the legislature party leader," he explained. Babaria further described naming a CM face as "a major political decision," suggesting the party might stick to its usual approach. 

Internal Criticism Addressed 

Babaria didn't shy away from addressing internal party criticism. Senior Congress leader Kumari Selja had recently questioned Babaria's feedback to the high command regarding ticket allocation in the recent parliamentary elections. Responding diplomatically, Babaria said, "Selja is a senior leader of our party. She has all the right to express herself, and if she has found any shortcomings in me, she can raise it before the high command." 

The party in-charge also downplayed reports of infighting within the Haryana Congress. He countered by pointing to past outbursts by BJP leader Anil Vij, questioning whether those incidents didn't reflect internal conflicts within the ruling party. 

Manifesto in the Making 

The Congress is focusing on creating a "common man-centric" manifesto for the Haryana elections. Babaria revealed that the party is actively collecting feedback and suggestions from various sections of society to shape their electoral promises. Geeta Bhukkal, chairperson of the Haryana Congress' manifesto committee, added that 17-18 sub-committees have been formed under the main manifesto committee to finalize the document.

Babaria didn't miss the opportunity to criticize the current BJP government in Haryana. He boldly stated, "The award for the most-failed government in the country will go to the BJP government in Haryana." This sets the tone for what is likely to be an intense campaign focused on the BJP's governance record.

As the election approaches, the Congress strategy in Haryana appears to be taking shape. By potentially withholding a CM candidate announcement, the party may be aiming to present a united front and focus voter attention on their policy promises rather than individual personalities. The emphasis on a people-focused manifesto suggests the Congress will try to tap into any dissatisfaction with the current government's performance.

With both major parties now outlining their initial strategies, Haryana's political landscape is heating up. Voters can expect an election season filled with promises, criticisms, and intense campaigning from all sides.