With just four days left until the Lok Sabha elections in Haryana, the Congress party's high command is deeply concerned about the impact of internal factionalism on their vote bank. Reports indicate that poor coordination between nominees, party workers, and local leaders is likely to affect the performance in six out of ten Lok Sabha segments, specifically Gurugram, Faridabad, Hisar, Ambala, Bhiwani-Mahendergarh, and Karnal.
The factions within the Haryana Congress, led by former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the SRK Group (Kumari Sailja, Randeep Surjewala, and Kiran Chaudhri), and Birender Chaudhary (along with his wife Pem Lata and son Brijendra Singh), are creating significant discord. The distribution of tickets has ignited dissidence among the factions, with rival leaders using public platforms to criticize each other.
A recent incident in Sirsa illustrates the internal strife: supporters of Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Kumari Sailja clashed during a rally addressed by Sachin Pilot. This confrontation was filmed and circulated on social media, further fueling tensions and impacting party morale.
In critical segments like Hisar, Sirsa, and Bhiwani-Mahendergarh, internal feuds threaten the party's prospects. Candidates such as Kumari Sailja from Sirsa, Rao Dal Singh from Bhiwani-Mahendergarh, and Jai Prakash from Hisar fear potential sabotage from within the party. The limited reach of star campaigners exacerbates these issues, as senior leaders avoid campaigning in areas controlled by rival factions.
Birender Singh Choudhary's absence from Hisar rallies and Kumari Sailja's reluctance to visit Hisar highlight the factional rifts. Jai Prakash's campaign has suffered due to non-cooperation from the SRK group. Similarly, Kiran Chaudhry's frustration with the high command for denying her daughter a ticket has led to public grievances against key party figures.
Captain Ajay Yadav, another senior leader, expressed dissatisfaction after being overlooked for a ticket in favor of Bollywood actor Raj Babbar in Gurugram. These internal disputes have led to a lack of cooperation and weakened the party's campaign efforts.
The Congress high command is keenly aware of these issues. Rahul Gandhi has directed leaders to reinvigorate the party cadre and organizational structure, with a particular focus on the Karnal constituency. Despite these efforts, reports from six constituencies remain disheartening, reflecting the ongoing dissidence caused by ticket distribution and factionalism.
Political analysts suggest that the internal strife within Congress may benefit rival parties like the BJP, JJP, and INLD. The perception that Congress is too divided to effectively challenge the BJP could sway voters towards these other parties. In contrast, the BJP's campaign, despite facing backlash from the farming community, appears stronger and more unified, particularly in Karnal where Chief Minister ML Khattar is contesting.
In summary, the factionalism and poor coordination within the Haryana Congress pose significant challenges ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, potentially undermining their performance and benefiting rival parties.
