‘They Can’t Ignore Me’: Congressman Kuma …

As Haryana prepares to vote for legislative elections on Saturday, Congress Rajya Sabha MP Kumari Selja has withdrawn her challenge as far as the party’s choice is concerned for the likely Chief Minister of Haryana.

He said that the choice of CM, if the Congress wins, will be done by the Congress high command, but he cannot be ignored. Selja said he is a senior leader with enough weight to be considered a front runner for the top spot.

“…It’s only for the high command to answer and they have to decide (about the CM candidate). There will be some people in the consideration zone and I think Selja will be among them. The high command will look at seniority, work and all this, so order the high will not ignore Selja. The commitment to the party is never in question, this is one thing he knows and he is sure of,” he said in an interview with news agency ANI.

Congress Leaders React

Party leader Deepender Hooda reacted to Selja’s statement and reiterated his earlier stance on CM selection. “The CM candidate will be decided by the party high command. This is the process in the Congress Party. There is nothing wrong with this. The high command decides.

Congress leader Ashok Tanway, who recently switched from the saffron camp to the old party, said the high command is not neglecting anyone.

There is a poster war in the country, with some projecting Selja as the chief minister’s face, while the party’s campaign seems to be projecting former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

Selja, known as Hooda’s rival in the Congress, is considered a strong Dalit woman face in the Congress with close proximity to the Gandhis. He may have influence in nine sets of assembly and if his workers are demoralized and decide not to work, it will destroy the party.

Is Selja Upset With Congress?

The Congress lawmaker further brushed off persistent speculation about him falling out with his old party and joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying he was not going anywhere.

“No one can be the one and only leader, but society sees what happens to its leaders. Selja kabhi nahi gayi, na jaati hai…(Selja never left never will leave) Why did Selja leave? Delhi is the center that many things are illogical…But people in my country know me…Selja toh Congressi hai. I am not angry with Congress…” he said.

“I am not angry with the Congress. A lot of discussions happened, and some situations came up…This keeps happening… Sammaan toh hai. There is no doubt about it. There is a position, there is respect. Many times, some things happen that make people feel that they are not fully respected…Politics is a game of perception…No one can get 100% ticket, it is definitely not possible…This is an internal party matter…I am part of the party as well as others,” he added.

He dismissed speculations about his absence from the campaign, insisting that the Congress is well prepared for the upcoming elections.

Selja generally did not participate in the party’s campaign for some days, instead focusing on the Lok Sabha constituency. During the campaign, speculation of Selja’s exit from Congress was raised saying that the party did not respect him.

BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya had earlier posted on X that when the 7th Congress guarantee was announced, Selja was not in action even though he was in Delhi. Union Minister and former Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar also offered Raj Sabha MPs to join the saffron camp.

Haryana will go to the polls on Saturday to elect a 90-member state legislative assembly, with counting to take place on October 8. In the 2019 elections, the BJP emerged as the single largest party, winning 40 seats, while the Congress won 30 seats.

(With inputs from ANI)