New Delhi, September 3: With less than two months to go for the Haryana Assembly elections, a 35-member committee, headed by former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda, held a meeting on Tuesday. During the meeting, the panel passed a resolution authorising Bhupinder Singh Hooda to take a decision on the future of the state leadership. Hooda has put the Congress leadership on notice. Bhupinder Singh Hooda Hints at Quitting Politics After Supporting Modi Govt on Article 370 Abrogation.

"We passed a resolution authorising Bhupinder Singh Hooda to take a decision for the Haryana Congress. He alone can lead the party to victory in the upcoming elections," ex-state minister and Haryana Congress spokesperson Krishna Murti was quoted by News18 as saying. The panel, comprised of 13 sitting Congress MLAs, some former MPs and MLAs and senior party leaders, was formed by Hooda at his August 18 Rohtak rally where he threatened to float a new party if the central leadership doesn't declare him chief ministerial candidate. Bhupinder Singh Hooda Backs Modi Government on Article 370 Abrogation, Asks Manohar Lal Khattar to Give Account of Last 5 Years.

Hooda's demands also include removal of state party chief Ashok Tanwar. According to party leaders, Hooda held one-on-one discussions with the committee members. A source told news agency IANS that many leaders said Hooda should leave the Congress and float a new party. Last week, Hooda met interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi at her residence. Congress general secretary in-charge of Haryana Ghulam Nabi Azad was also part of the meeting.

However, nothing came out of it. Last month, Hooda at the Rohtak rally supported the Narendra Modi government's move to abrogate Article 370 and also warned the party leadership. "Since the issue (whether to continue with the Congress) pertains to the future of the people, I can't take the decision alone," Hooda had said. It was a clear warning for Congress to hand over the party's reins in the state to Hooda, or else he would go on his own ahead of the Assembly polls slated for later this year.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 03, 2019 09:33 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).