Rahul Gandhi to Campaign for Haryana Assembly Elections Amidst Party Factionalism
New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is gearing up for a pivotal campaign in the Haryana Assembly elections, set to take place on Thursday. His rallies in Assandh and Barwala aim to project party unity, especially as the central leadership has managed a tenuous truce among the party’s feuding factions.
Notably, Kumari Selja, who had previously distanced herself from the campaign, will join Rahul at the rallies alongside her ally Randeep Surjewala and former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda. This collaboration is crucial, as internal strife has been hindering the party’s election efforts.
The truce followed a significant meeting between Selja and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday, where Selja voiced her concerns. In light of this, she has announced her return to campaigning, though her public remarks continue to reveal her grievances with Hooda.
On social media platform ‘X’, Selja outlined her campaign plans, which include participation in Rahul’s rally as well as additional public meetings in Tohana and Hisar. Rahul is expected to remain active in Haryana for another three days, making this a key moment for the party.
Despite the anticipation surrounding the rallies, there are questions regarding the absence of top campaigners, including Rahul and General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, earlier in the election cycle. Some party members speculate that they are holding back their star campaigners for a final push. However, sources indicate that Rahul has expressed dissatisfaction with the management of the election campaign.
Interestingly, Rahul was absent from the launch of the party’s seven guarantees for Haryana on September 18, a decision that raised eyebrows given he was in the national capital at the time. Concerns about the manifesto’s formulation process were among his grievances, highlighting a lack of structure and coherence in the party’s election strategy.
Rahul’s frustrations also extend to the factionalism that intensified following candidate selections, which saw Selja withdraw from campaigning for nearly two weeks while Surjewala’s reach was limited to specific areas. Before departing for the U.S. earlier this month, he urged the leadership to reconvene a Central Election Committee meeting to address the concerns of both Selja and Surjewala, signaling his desire for greater unity and cohesion within the party ranks.
As the campaign unfolds, all eyes will be on the Congress party’s ability to present a united front and effectively address internal divisions as they seek to make significant inroads in the Haryana Assembly elections.
