Since the October 8 assembly election results, the Congress has struggled to resolve leadership issues, with speculation rife that the high command is not in favour of reappointing Hooda.
In the absence of a final decision but with the support of a majority of MLAs, former chief minister and former CLP leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda continues to occupy official bungalow number 70 in Chandigarh’s Sector 7. (Express File)
The Indian National Congress high command has yet to finalise its choice for the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader in Haryana. In the absence of a final decision but with the support of a majority of MLAs, former chief minister and former CLP leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda continues to occupy official bungalow number 70 in Chandigarh’s Sector 7. Hooda had occupied this house in his capacity as Leader of Opposition from 2019 to 2024.
Since October 8, when the Haryana Vidhan Sabha poll results were declared and the BJP formed the government for the third consecutive term with 48 seats, while Congress finished second with 37 seats, speculation has been rife that the Congress high command is not inclined to appoint Hooda as the CLP leader. Names of several Congress MLAs have been doing the rounds as possible candidates for the role, which would also grant the status of Leader of the Opposition in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha.
With no clarity from the Congress leadership, the Haryana government has begun levying penal market rent on bungalow number 70, as Hooda has not yet vacated it.
Congress sources told The Indian Express that they had not received any “official notice of the penal rent” but were “aware of the market penal rent that would apply for failing to vacate government accommodation.” Sources also disclosed that a penalty of over ₹2 lakh has already been imposed for non-vacation of the premises.
Official sources added, “Penal market rent is charged if the occupant does not vacate the accommodation within the stipulated 15-day period. However, in some cases, this penalty can be waived, depending on the circumstances and at the discretion of the competent authority.”
Unlike Hooda, several BJP and JJP leaders who lost the October 2024 polls have vacated their official accommodations. These include JJP’s former deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala, former panchayat minister Devender Babli, and BJP leaders such as Subhash Sudha, Jaiprakash Dalal, Abhay Yadav, Dr Kamal Gupta, Aseem Goel, Sanjay Singh, and Ranjit Chautala, who held ministerial positions from 2019 to 2024.
The bungalow currently occupied by Hooda was sought by BJP industries minister Vipul Goel. However, since it was not vacated, Goel opted for the neighbouring bungalow number 71 in Sector 7.
From 2014 to 2019, when Hooda was not the CLP leader, he stayed in government flats allocated to MLAs in Sector 3, Chandigarh.
Congress leaders indicated that the CLP leader in Haryana is unlikely to be announced until after the Delhi Assembly elections. “The party high command is preoccupied with the upcoming Delhi elections. It seems unlikely that they will have time to address the issue,” said a senior Cong leader.
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