Gurugram
The Congress is preparing to appoint a new Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) president likely from southern Haryana, leaders aware of developments said on Wednesday.
The position – which has remained vacant since 1977 – has not been occupied by a leader from southern Haryana since 1972, when Rao Nihal Singh was in charge. Udai Bhan was the last Haryana Congress president.
Party insiders say the absence of representation has steadily weakened the organisation in the southern region’s Ahirwal belt, dominated by other backward classes (OBC), where the Congress lost 10 of 11 assembly seats on way to its shock loss to the Bharatiya Janata Party in the state polls last year.
Among the leaders whose names are being considered for the position are former minister Captain Ajay Singh Yadav, former minister Rao Narendra Singh, former MLA Rao Dan Singh, and former MLA Chiranjeev Rao, said the people cited above.
“For many years, we tried scheduled caste candidates such as Kumari Selja and Ashok Tanwar so we want to try an OBC candidate now,” said a senior party leader, requesting anonymity.
“Jat will have one position and OBC will have a position, but it is up to the high command,” added the leader, signalling that the Leader of the Opposition post is likely to go to a Jat leader. Former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda is the tallest Jat leader in the Congress, which has refrained from appointing a LoP after its defeat in 2024.
Ajay Yadav has earlier called the neglect of south Haryana one of the main reasons for the party’s poor performance and openly appealed to the high command to shift the leadership to the region. “The political review of election results clearly indicates that South Haryana cost Congress the state. In the last assembly elections, the party lost 10 out of 11 seats here because it failed to connect with people. This region, once a stronghold, has shifted to the BJP due to constant indifference. It is high time the party shifts leadership to Ahirwal,” Yadav had said.
{{/usCountry}}Ajay Yadav has earlier called the neglect of south Haryana one of the main reasons for the party’s poor performance and openly appealed to the high command to shift the leadership to the region. “The political review of election results clearly indicates that South Haryana cost Congress the state. In the last assembly elections, the party lost 10 out of 11 seats here because it failed to connect with people. This region, once a stronghold, has shifted to the BJP due to constant indifference. It is high time the party shifts leadership to Ahirwal,” Yadav had said.
{{/usCountry}}Party leaders pointed out that the Congress enjoyed significant support among Ahir voters until 2014, when former Union minister Rao Inderjit Singh moved to the BJP. The community, estimated at over 120,000 in Haryana, is now seen as decisive in state politics.
Yadav argued that while the BJP successfully tapped OBC communities, Congress missed the opportunity. “Yadavs are at the core of the OBC community in Haryana. The party needs to project a strong Yadav leader to win them back,” he added.
Dan Singh said the senior leaders will make a decision on the appointment soon.