Refrain from making promises of party tickets: Babaria to Congress leaders

Babaria, who replaced Shaktisinh Gohil following the latter’s appointment as Gujarat Congress chief recently as the new in-charge of Haryana Congress, also asked the state leaders to exercise restraint in making pre-poll announcements individually and let the party manifesto speak for itself

Newly-appointed AICC in-charge for party affairs in Haryana Deepak Babaria on Saturday asked the Haryana Congress leaders to refrain from making promises to workers regarding allocation of party tickets for the 2024 assembly polls in the state. He said ticket distribution is the prerogative of the party high command, said Congress sources.

Babaria who held a meeting of top leaders of the faction-ridden state Congress at Chandigarh on Saturday got a glimpse of the sharp divisions in the state unit.

Babaria, who replaced Shaktisinh Gohil following the latter’s appointment as Gujarat Congress chief recently as the new in-charge of Haryana Congress, also asked the state leaders to exercise restraint in making pre-poll announcements individually and let the party manifesto speak for itself.

Babaria who held a meeting of top leaders of the faction-ridden state Congress at Chandigarh on Saturday got a glimpse of the sharp divisions in the state unit. Party sources said tutored supporters of at least two prominent Haryana Congress leaders raised slogans in support of their leaders in Babaria’s presence declaring their respective leaders as the future chief ministers. Babaria did not respond to phone calls for comments.

The bitterly-divided state Congress primarily has four factions led by former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, former union minister Kumari Selja, former cabinet ministers Randeep Singh Surjewala and Kiran Choudhry.

As per a party statement, Babaria on Saturday said the Congress will now work in election mode in Haryana. “The work of organisation building will be completed soon. The party leadership knows the potential of every leader,” he said in a statement.

He said the formalities of giving posts in the organisation will also be completed soon and office bearers will be appointed from state-level to district, block, mandal and booth level and both, old workers and leaders joining from other parties will be given full respect.

“Through ‘Vipaksh Aapke Samaksh’, ‘Hath Se Hath Jodo’ campaign and ‘Jan Milan’ function, the party is constantly having direct dialogue with the public. On the basis of this dialogue and after assessing the aspirations of people, the Congress will present a manifesto to meet the expectations of every section,” said Babaria in a statement.

Haryana Congress president Udai Bhan said discipline is important for strengthening the organisation and no partyman should make a statement which is harmful to the party. He said strict action will be taken against those who break the discipline.