NEW DELHI: The infighting in Haryana Congress for change in leadership has reached the party high command with former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Hooda, a member of the G23 group, pushing his name for the state party chief post and for a complete overhaul of the state unit.
Sources said the incumbent state president, Kumari Selja, has already offered to quit if the leadership wants someone else to lead the state unit.
The sources added that a decision on the change of guard is expected soon. Hooda, who enjoys the support of a majority of party MLAs in the state, has been demanding an overhaul in the state unit for long.
Hooda, the Congress legislature party leader in the state, remains the front runner for the post of state president. Earlier, he was pitching his son and Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Hooda for the post but junior Hooda is unacceptable to many senior leaders.
The differences among Hooda camp, Selja and media in-charge RS Surjewala, a close Rahul Gandhi aide, are well known to the top leadership.
With the party offering an olive branch to the group of dissenting leaders (G23), Hooda is expected to get more control over Haryana unit.
“The state unit has not been revamped for the last several years. However, following the party’s poor performance in the recent elections, several state units are undergoing an overhaul. Also, we have to factor in the increasing footprint of the AAP,” said a Haryana Congress leader.