Congress snubs seniors, favours junior Surjewala

In a clear rebuff to warring chief ministerial candidates in Haryana, the Congress high command today named AICC secretary Randeep Singh Sur...

In a clear rebuff to warring chief ministerial candidates in Haryana, the Congress high command today named AICC secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, a proverbial dark horse, as working president of the state unit.

The appointment is a blow to state chief Bhajan Lal, who had pitched in as a ‘‘natural’’ claimant for chief ministership. After a recent heart operation, he was saddled with a working president. His ability to lead the state unit in polls has come under question. However, being a shrewd politician, Lal, instead of going into a sulk, welcomed Surjewala’s appointment. By picking up a relatively junior Jat leader as the working president, the high command has ignored claims of two powerful contenders from the community — Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Birender Singh.

The two Jat leaders had, of late, embarked on parallel rallies on every possible pretext to project themselves as prospective chief ministers. Their next shows of strength — to mark the birthday of Sonia Gandhi — are scheduled for tomorrow.

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Surjewala’s appointment is bad news for INLD chief and Chief Minister O.P. Chautala too. Chautala represents Narwana, native Assembly constituency of Randeep and his father, Shamsher Singh Surjewala, a former state president. At a time when the younger Surjewala is determined to retrieve his constituency, the new post would certainly invest him with a lot of clout, thereby boosting his poll prospects vis-a-vis Chautala. The CM, who had won the Narwana seat with a slender margin last time, can look forward to a tough battle.

The appointment is a signal to the influential Jat community that its interests are safe in Congress. The balance in the party was so far tilted heavily in favour of non-Jats with no Jat leader in any important position.

The two representatives in the Union ministry from the state — Kumari Selja and Indrajit Singh — are non-Jats. Bhajan Lal is a Bishnoi, while the state legislature party is without a leader following Hooda’s election to the LS. Deputy leader of the party in the legislature Ajay Singh Yadav is also a non-Jat.

The high command has pursued a policy of checks and balances. After catering to claims of various factions, it has managed to keep suspense over its choice for chief ministership. Surjewala’s appointment has not ended that suspense.