After facing a debacle in the Haryana Assembly elections in October 2024, the Congress party took nearly one year to name Bhupinder Singh Hooda as the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader, which would enable him to become the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the state Assembly.
The Congress central leadership’s move came as a shot in the arm for Hooda, the 78-year-old ex-chief minister, who has been facing sharp opposition from within a section of the state party unit, with his detractors blaming him for the party’s third consecutive defeat at the hands of the BJP since 2014.
The Jat heavyweight is now bracing for a stiff challenge in his fresh stint as the LoP in Haryana.
With Hooda as the CM, the Congress was ousted from power by the BJP in 2014, when the latter first took the helm in the state. The Congress could then win just 15 of the state’s 90 seats as against the BJP’s 47 seats.
Hooda was the CLP leader in the 2019 polls when the Congress got 31 seats as compared to the BJP’s 40, with the latter then forming its government by forming an alliance with Dushyant Chautala’s Jannayak Janta Party (JJP).
Hooda again led the Congress as the LoP in the 2024 Assembly polls, but the Congress still stopped well short of a majority, winning 37 seats as against the BJP’s 48.
A section of Congress leaders have openly criticised Hooda and his loyalist Udai Bhan, the then Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) president, for the “unexpected loss” in 2024. That the Congress leadership had also been upset with Hooda was reflected by its move to keep him waiting for the post for a year despite enjoying the support of a majority of the 37 party MLAs.
Hooda has also been in the line of fire from other Opposition parties as well as the BJP.
The Abhay Chautala-led Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), which has just two MLAs, has been going after Hooda, focusing on his home turf Rohtak.
On September 25, the INLD chose Rohtak to hold its “Samman Diwas” rally to commemorate the 112th birth anniversary of its founder and ex-deputy prime minister late Devi Lal. It was seen as the party’s attempt to regain its political ground in the Jat belt.
Hooda’s son Deepender Hooda is the MP from the Rohtak Lok Sabha seat, which has nine Assembly segments, of which the Congress currently represents seven seats including Garhi Sampla Kiloi (Bhupinder Hooda), Meham (Balram Dangi), Rohtak (B B Batra), Kalanaur (Shakuntla Khatak), Badli (Kuldeep Vats), Jhajjar (Geeta Bhukkal) and Beri (Raghuvir Singh Kadian).
The BJP, too, has kept Hooda in its crosshairs, targeting Rohtak. Since October 2024, CM Nayab Singh Saini has visited Rohtak on multiple occasions to interact with villagers. In August this year, Saini hoisted the national tricolour in Rohtak.
On Friday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed a gathering in Rohtak on the occasion of the inauguration of second phase of Sabar Dairy (Amul plant) at IMT, Rohtak. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also likely to visit Haryana later this month to attend a function marking the completion of one year of the BJP government in the state. He may then address a rally in Sonipat adjoining Rohtak.
Reacting to Hooda’s appointment as the CLP leader, Union Energy and Urban Development Minister and ex-CM Manohar Lal Khattar said, “Despite being a strong Opposition, it took one year for Congress to appoint Leader of Opposition. This only shows their dilemma.”
A two-time CM, four-time MP and six-time MLA, Hooda is widely considered as one of Haryana’s political stalwarts. However, since October 2024, voices from within the Congress started to get louder against him, with several party leaders demanding that he own responsibility for the party’s electoral setback.
Now, the Congress high command’s bid to appoint Hooda as the CLP leader has again rankled some of his party rivals. “What can we say. The party leadership must have analysed all the aspects and taken a decision. Results will show whether this decision is right or not,” said one of Hooda’s detractors.
Soon after Hooda’s appointment, which took place along with that of Rao Narender Singh as the new HPCC chief, Capt Ajay Yadav, a known Hooda-baiter, said in an X post: “Congress needs to introspect regarding the falling graph of party in Haryana by its today’s decision. Rahul Gandhi wanted Haryana Congress president who should have clean, spotless image and youth; but decision is reverse. The party cadre’s morale is at its lowest level.”
On his part, Hooda said, “The Congress high command has taken a decision. It will strengthen the party. After 11 years, the party has also got a ground-level cadre, district presidents have been appointed and now we shall go till block and booth level appointments.”
On his part, Hooda said, “The Congress high command has taken a decision. It will strengthen the party. After 11 years, the party has also got a ground-level cadre, district presidents have been appointed and now we shall go till block and booth level appointments.”
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