Congress meeting: Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has called a meeting of newly elected MLAs of the state ahead of the Congress legislature party meeting at his Delhi residence on Wednesday. A total of 31 MLAs were present at Hooda's Delhi house for the meeting.
Reports suggest that the MLAs were convened to address the issue of the Leader of Opposition in the Haryana Assembly.
However, Hooda after the meeting said that it was an 'informal meeting'' of all MLAs. "This was just an informal meeting, all the MLAs have come together. The decision on the Leader of the Opposition will be taken in the meeting to be held the day after tomorrow," he said.
Who were present at the meeting?
During the meeting, several MLAs were present, including Nirmal Singh, Pooja, Ram Karan, Ashok Arora, Mandeep Singh Chatha, Devender Hans, Vikash Saharan, Indu Raj Singh Narwal, Vinesh Phogat, Balwan Singh Doulatpuria, Jarnail Singh, Shishpal Keharwala, Gokul Seta, Bharat Singh Beniwal, Chander Parkash, Naresh Selwal, Jasvir Singh, Rajbir Singh Fartia, Balram Dangi, Bharat Bhushan Batra, Shakuntala Khatak, Kuldeep Vats, Geeta Bhukal, Raghubur Singh Kadian, Manju Chaudhary, Aftab Ahmad, Mamman Khan, Mohd. Ilyas, Mohd. Israil, and Raghubir Singh Tewatia.
The MLAs who did not attend the meeting held at Hooda's house are Chandrmohan Bishnoi, Sally Chaudhary, Akram Khan, Renu Bala, Aditya Surjewala and Naresh Selwal.
Selja vs Hooda for LoP
With nearly 30 legislators backing him, the MLAs are expected to propose maintaining the status quo, which would involve re-electing Hooda as the Leader of the Opposition in the House. At the same time, the MLAs supporting Sirsa MP and Kumari Selja, who is perceived as anti-Hooda, are also asserting their claim for the Leader of Opposition position.
To aid in the legislature party meeting in Chandigarh, former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Ajay Maken, and Punjab leader Pratap Singh Bajwa have been designated as observers.
Bucking anti-incumbency, the ruling BJP under Saini's leadership pulled off a hat-trick of wins in Haryana to retain power and halt Congress' comeback attempt in the assembly elections. The BJP secured a third term in the assembly polls in Haryana, results of which were declared on October 8. It won 48 seats against the Congress' 37 in the 90-member assembly in the northern state.
Also Read: Nayab Singh Saini to take oath as Haryana CM tomorrow, PM Modi to attend swearing-in ceremony
Also Read: Haryana poll debacle: Congress general secretary in-charge Deepak Babaria offers to resign
