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After electoral victory, BJP now eyeing HOA arena
Holding the reins of the Haryana Olympic Association (HOA) has always been a matter of prestige for the ruling party in the state. And after coming to power for the first time in the state, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is also eyeing the HOA job. For the past few days, BJP MLA from Radaur, Shyam Singh Rana is busy meeting officials of different sports bodies in the state, soliciting their support for the HOA presidentship.
Holding the reins of the Haryana Olympic Association (HOA) has always been a matter of prestige for the ruling party in the state. And after coming to power for the first time in the state, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is also eyeing the HOA job. For the past few days, BJP MLA from Radaur, Shyam Singh Rana is busy meeting officials of different sports bodies in the state, soliciting their support for the HOA presidentship.
Rana has also called a meeting of the sports bodies recognised by the Congress-backed PV Rathi-led HOA at Olympic Bhawan in Panchkula on Saturday.
Last month, a Delhi BJP leader had held a meeting with Haryana’s sports associations and expressed the desire of the BJP controlling the state Olympic association and since then the efforts are on in this directions.
As per sources, the Shyam Singh Rana group will get control over the Olympic Bhawan on Saturday, which at present is occupied by Rathi-led HOA. Earlier, the Rathi group had wrested the control of Olympic Bhawan forcefully from the HOA faction led by Indian National Lok Dal leader Abhay Chautala.
“We are government employees and with the BJP in power, we cannot afford to skip the meeting. Whatever resolution related to HOA will be passed we have to back them. I can’t say about other sports bodies, but whoever is governed by the government officials will for sure sent their representatives to the meeting,” said an office-bearer of one of the state sports associations.
On the other hand, retired IPS officer Rathi, a close aide of former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, has called a meeting of the state sports bodies at HOA Bhawan on Sunday (November 30). Since Congress is not in power, it will be difficult for Rathi to continue the ongoing tussle with INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala over the HOA control. As of now, there are two factions of HOA — one supported by the INLD and the other by the Congress. So, the Rathi camp has decided to hand over the HOA reins to Dharamvir Singh, BJP member of Parliament from Bhiwani.
