Problem of plenty in Haryana Congress

The Congress party is likely to face a "problem of plenty" after the results are announced on February 27.

The Congress may be poised for major gains when Haryana votes for a new Assembly on Thursday, but the party is likely to face a "problem of plenty" after the results are announced on February 27.

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In constituency after constituency, Congress candidates are being pitched to the voters as the "future CM (Chief Minister)" of the state, fuelling speculation of a major showdown within the party if it wins a majority in the 90-member House.

The front-runners for the post are Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee president and former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal, PCC working president Randeep Singh Surjewala and Congress stalwarts Birender Singh and Om Prakash Jindal - not necessarily in that order. Even Member of Parliament Bhoopinder Singh Hooda is a contender, though he was not given a ticket for Assembly polls.

On the record, all of them have a standard reply when asked about their candidacy for Chief Ministership: "the MLAs and (Congress president) Soniaji will decide."

But supporters of each are quick to point to their leader's proximity to the party High Command and how rivals for the post are "deliberately trying to scuttle" their campaign.

"He is definitely a top contender," says Bhiwani Member of Parliament Kuldeep Singh Bishnoi about his father Bhajan Lal, who is contesting from traditional stronghold Adampur Mandi.