"Chief Minister Decision With High Command": Congress' Kumari Selja To NDTV

Congress MP Kumari Selja confirmed Tuesday she was in the race to become Chief Minister had her her party managed to win the 2024 Haryana election. A smiling Ms Selja told NDTV this afternoon, "Yes. I am among contenders to be Chief Minister... but the final decision is with the party high command."

Ms Selja was seen as going head-to-head with party colleague Bhupinder Singh Hooda for the top post, and that rivalry has been flagged as a reason for the party snatching defeat from the jaws of victory in this election. The Congress raced into an early lead, even crossing the halfway mark at one point.

However, as the day dragged on it tumbled backwards. The BJP overtook it by 10 am and never looked back; at 6 pm it had 41 wins and seven leads, putting it just over the majority mark of 46.

Ms Selja had earlier expressed confidence the Congress would win, declaring the people of Haryana "know their future is (with the) Congress". "The electorate looks at their future..." she told NDTV.

Once the result was confirmed, however, she acknowledged the result is a "big setback". "I was very excited in the morning... we had expected to win up to 60 seats, so this is very disappointing," she said. 

"We will assess reasons for our defeat... there can be many... and see how these can be overcome."

The race to form the Haryana government was, of course, the big story.

Kumari Selja vs Bhupinder Hooda?

But there was that Sleja vs Hooda subplot within the Congress camp.

Mr Hooda made no secret of his wish for a third term; he made it clear he is "neither tired nor retired" but also said the party HQ, and its elected MLAs, will take the call. Ms Selja was more circumspect; she told NDTV last month, "Why should I 'stake claim'? Why should it be about 'staking claim'?"

READ | "Haryana Can Give Me Space": Kumari Selja, Day After Exit Polls

Ms Selja suggested then the choice should reflect "who works hard and is committed to the people"; the remark was pointed at Mr Hood's call to include elected MLAs in deciding a chief minister. She did not look favourably on that, given most of the Congress' candidates were seen as Hooda loyalists.   

Kumari Selja Unhappy?

There was significant buzz in Haryana political circles last month after Ms Selja seemed to be in a funk; a prominent state leader with influence over the Dalit vote, she delayed campaigning for the party.

There was speculation she was unhappy with the way candidates were chosen; these seemed to favour loyalists of Bhupinder Hooda. She was also unhappy, it was said, at being taken for granted.

One of the issues flagged was that Ms Selja had made it clear she wanted to contest the state poll, but that was overruled by the party HQ and she was fielded from (and won) the Sirsa Lok Sabha seat.

She later told NDTV, "I wanted to contest... party didn't allow. That is ok...", but then warned of "issues... serious issues" that need to be resolved within the Congress' state unit.

"It was never intended I shall remain absent (from the campaign) throughout. I will campaign..." she also said, "...because I am a party solider. I've always said I am a good soldier."

All of this led the BJP to declare she had been "disrespected" and an 'invitation' to join was proffered by ex-Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. However, Ms Selja laughed off such talk and invited the BJP, instead, to "first set their own house in order". "How much respect do they give (to Dalits) ..."

What Hooda Said

Last week Mr Hooda dismissed "hypothetical questions" and underlined his position on the chief ministerial race - that the final decision will be taken by the Congress' central leadership.

But more telling was his response to a question on Kumari Selja becoming the Congress' next Haryana Chief Minister. "This is a democracy... everybody should aspire. But the MLAs will decide..." he said.

The reference to MLAs deciding is key because a majority of them are understood to be loyal to the former Chief Minister, Ms Selja has already said it is "not healthy" for state lawmakers to be involved in the selection of a Chief Minister; "I think the 'high command' should decide..." she told NDTV this week.

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