Congress leader Ajay Singh Yadav on Monday said that the party won't project any chief ministerial face for the upcoming assembly elections in Haryana. He said the high command will take a call on chief ministership after the elections. Yadav's comment comes amid reports of infighting within the Haryana unit of the Congress.
Currently, former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupender Singh Hooda is calling the shots. However, a faction which reportedly comprises Kumari Selja and Randeep Surjewala is upset with the veteran leader for consolidating all the power. Kiran Choudhury was also part of this faction, but she left the party after her daughter was denied a ticket in the Lok Sabha elections.
Ajay Singh Yadav, however, denied the reports of infighting in the state unit and said that if the party goes with his candidate list, it will win 70-plus of 90 seats. "Winnability should be the criteria for ticket distribution...there is no infighting," he said while speaking to news agency ANI.
"Congress will contest the Haryana assembly elections with no CM face. Post elections, the opinion of MLAs will be taken and then the high command will take a decision," he added.
When asked about JJP MLA Devender Singh Babli joining BJP today, Yadav said this won't make any difference and the saffron party will be wiped out.
Earlier today, Babli joined the BJP, as the ruling party looks to bolster its ranks in the state. The Tohana MLA was a minister in the government headed by former chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar and might be fielded by the BJP in the polls. Babli said the BJP is driven by the mindset of development.
The former JJP MLA exuded confidence that the party will return to power in Haryana for a third term. Two other leaders, Sunil Sangwan, whose father Satpal Sangwan is a former Haryana minister, and Sanjay Kablana, also joined the BJP.
Haryana goes to polls on October 5 and votes will be counted on October 8.