As two Congress MLAs sing the praises of Haryana CM Saini, is the party in for more trouble?

Congress MLAs Shalley Chaudhary (Naraingarh) and Gokul Setia (Sirsa) showering praise on Saini within three months of the BJP returning to power in the state has only intensified speculation that a few Congress leaders are looking to jump ship to the BJP. The legislators themselves, as well as BJP leaders, however, have denied any such move.

The praise for the CM came during Saini’s visit to Naraingarh and Sirsa as part of his ongoing “thanksgiving” tour, where he has been awarding financial grants based on the demands and needs of the regions.

On January 20, as Saini shared the stage with Chaudhary in Naraingarh, the CM’s former constituency, the MLA said, “It is a matter of honour for Naraingarh that we have a hardworking CM. We are lucky that he hails from here. Not only Naraingarh, but the entire state is praising him for his work. Our constituency was lacking, both politically and in terms of development. One (political) shortcoming has been addressed as Saini is from here but with regard to development, I would like to request him to fulfil our other demands,” she said in the presence of other BJP leaders, including former Haryana minister Assem Goel.

Even as she listed her demands for the constituency, including a trauma centre, medical college and more funds for village panchayats, the Naraingarh MLA continued to laud Saini and referred to him as the “son of Naraingarh”.

“The CM understands the problems of Naraingarh, which is hoping he will do his best for us,” she said.

Saini almost immediately obliged and laid the foundation stones for 10 development projects worth Rs 43.28 crore the same day. He also announced the setting up of a cooperative sugar mill in the area, a long-pending demand of farmers, a horticulture college, and an astroturf for hockey, besides the grant of Rs 20 crore for the repair and renovation of roads and development of villages.

In Sirsa, Setia welcomed Saini and other BJP leaders, including state Health Minister Aarti Rao, on the stage by narrating an “unrelated incident” to tell people why he “admired” Saini. “I had sent a request to the Deputy Commissioner that I wanted to welcome the CM. But I was not allowed (inside the airport). When CM saab learnt about me standing outside, he waited for me for three minutes, stopped his car and honoured me. I swear to God, I have never seen such a person who has honoured me so much,” the MLA said.

Just after the BJP came to power for a record third straight term in October last year, Saini laid the foundation stone for a medical college in November. “I remember after the new government assumed charge, I raised a request. You assured me of equal development across the state without any discrimination … We have an excellent CM. I even said in the Assembly that it is our duty to appreciate good work. I do not want to toe any party line and keep finding faults with the government just because I am in the Opposition. Gokul Setia will always appreciate good work. This enhances the confidence of those running the government,” Setia, his hands folded, said while thanking Saini.

Such lavish praise comes months after the Congress lost the Assembly polls last year, an election many expected it to win. It is also likely to spell more trouble for the party, which is already struggling to place its house in order and stem infighting between the Bhupinder Singh Hooda camp and other rival factions. The party has also not yet elected the leader of its legislature party, who will serve as the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly.

Cracks within the Congress came to the fore recently too after the party left out Hooda – its Jat face – and Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan, seen to be his loyalist, from its list of star campaigners for the February 5 Delhi polls even as other prominent leaders from the state such as Rajya Sabha MP, Randeep Singh Surjewala and Kumari Selja were included. Regions of the capital that share a border with Haryana have a significant chunk of voters from the Jat community.

Asked if trouble was brewing within the party, a senior Congress leader said, “It is a courteous gesture of the MLAs towards the person who is the head of the government. Nothing more should be read into it. The Congress is intact and there’s no divide.”