Chandigarh, Sep 29 (IANS) In a jubilation for Haryana Congress lawmakers, the party leadership on Monday retained two-time Chief Minister and mass leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda as the Leader of Opposition.

An announcement was made by the high command after much delay and deliberations within the party cadres for months.

However, the party appointed Rao Narender Singh as the President of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, replacing Udhai Bhan, a close confidant of Hooda, said an official communication signed by party General Secretary K.C. Venugopal, quoting both the appointments by the party President.

The party has expressed appreciation for the contributions of outgoing state chief Bhan. After thwarting foes within the party, Congress leader Hooda, 78, who served as the Chief Minister from 2004 to 2014, had campaigned across the state to ensure the return of the party to power in October 2024.

Veteran Congress leader Hooda has been launching a scathing attack on the Haryana BJP government’s agricultural policies. He claims the state is deliberately creating obstacles for farmers during the crop procurement season.

Hooda highlighted systemic issues like delayed tenders, insufficient gunny bags, and late payments that harm farmers’ economic interests.

His critique suggests a calculated strategy by the ruling party to undermine agricultural communities’ financial stability.

He retained his stronghold, Garhi Sampla-Kiloi constituency, in the Assembly elections on October 8, 2024, by defeating his nearest rival, Manju, the candidate put up by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with a margin of 70,626 votes.

Hooda, a veteran politician, began a second term in October 2009 after leading the Congress to an election victory, the first time since 1972 that a Haryana electorate returned a ruling party to power.

A lawyer by profession, Hooda started his political journey with the Youth Congress. He was elected as a member of parliament from the Rohtak Lok Sabha constituency for four terms in 1991, 1996, 1998, and 2004.

He also remained the Leader of Opposition in the state legislative Assembly from 2001 to 2004.

–IANS

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