Congress appoints Kumari Selja as HPCC chief, names Hooda as CLP leader

New Delhi: Amid dissidence in the Haryana unit ahead of Assembly polls in the state, Congress on Wednesday appointed Rajya Sabha MP Kumari Selja as President of the state unit and also named former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda as Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader and Chairman of the State Election Committee.

"Kumari Selja who was a union minister is appointed as president of Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee. Bhupinder Singh Hooda will be Congress Legislature LP leader and by virtue, he will also be the leader of Opposition. He has been given the responsibility of Chairman of the State Election Committee," Congress leader Gulam Nabi Azad told reporters in a press conference here.

Selja will replace Ashok Tanwar as HPCC chief. After the drubbing in Lok Sabha elections, many leaders were seeking the removal of Tanwar renewing the infighting in the ranks.

When asked why Tanwar was being replaced, Azad said: "There is a fixed term for a president. He remained president for six years."

Hooda had also set up a 33-member committee which comprises 13 MLAs and other leaders, who are considered to be loyal to him. He had also struck a discordant note with the senior leadership for his criticism of the Congress' stand on the Centre's decision to abrogate Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

"Whatever happened in the past is part of past now. This committee has been formed for the future," Azad said dismissing any disagreement in the party.

Haryana, which has a 90-memberAssembly, is scheduled to go to polls in October this year.