Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who has been associated with the 'G-23' group of dissident leaders in the Congress, appears to be doing the role of an emissary to the party leadership.
The G-23 had been demanding internal reforms in the Congress for almost two years to enable the party to compete against the BJP.
Hooda attended a much publicised meeting of the G-23 held at the Delhi residence of former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday.
The G-23 had issued a statement calling for a “collective and inclusive leadership and decision making at all levels”.
On Thursday, Hooda arrived at the residence of former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi. ANI reported he later went to the residence of Azad. It is yet unclear what transpired at the two meetings Hooda held.
Hooda is the first G-23 member to meet a member of the Gandhi family after Wednesday's meeting. “The Haryana veteran has been upset with his party for not giving him—or his son Deepinder Hooda—the post of state chief, sources say. Mr Hooda has been locked in a feud with Haryana Congress chief Selja Kumari, who is believed to be close to the Gandhis,” NDTV reported.
There had been reports Azad could meet Sonia Gandhi on Thursday, though this has not been confirmed.
Interestingly, while the G-23 members declared they would not split the party, one leader expressed lack of faith in Rahul Gandhi. Former Gujarat chief minister Shankar Singh Vaghela told News 18 “We don’t have faith in Rahul Gandhi… Azad [Ghulam Nabi Azad] will meet Sonia Gandhi to convey her our demands. New leadership should come in. We want betterment of Congress. Other leaders will join us soon.”
