Selja to head Congress in Haryana, Hooda poll panel chief

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad announced on Wednesday that Union Minister Kumari Selja has been appointed the new state party chief for Haryana while former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has been appointed as the Congress Legislature Party leader and Chairman of the Election Committee.

New Delhi: Ahead of the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections, the Congress on Wednesday appointed former Union Minister Kumari Selja as the state party chief and former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda as the Congress Legislature Party leader and Chairman of the Election Committee.

The announcements were made by former Union Minister and Haryana Congress in-charge Ghulam Nabi Azad and party General Secretary, Organisation, K.C. Venugopal.

Addressing the media, Azad said: "Congress chief Sonia Gandhi has approved the appointment of Kumari Selja as Haryana Congress chief."

"Hooda has been made the CLP leader and Leader of Opposition and also the Chairman of the Election Committee," he added.

The appointments have put an end to months of speculation over the issue of new state Congress chief amid reports of differences between former Haryana state unit chief Ashok Tanwar and Hooda.

The elections in the state are scheduled later this year.

Azad admitted that there was a delay in the appointment of the state chief but 'better late than never'.

To a question over Hooda using pressure tactics to gain control in the party, Azad said: "Whatever was done in the past is past. This is the future and the new team will ensure to strengthen the Congress in elections."

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