Former Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Sharma (INC) has accused senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his associates of sidelining him within the party.
This rift signals deepening instability within the Haryana Congress, as high-ranking officials clash over leadership influence and the party's public image during a period of internal friction.
Sharma said he was denied the opportunity to speak at a protest held in Panchkula. He described a pattern of exclusion by the Hooda faction, suggesting that a specific section of the party is actively working to diminish his role.
The tension escalated following a letter Sharma wrote regarding Deepender Hooda and the Sajjan Singh issue. That letter sparked significant criticism on social media, further straining the relationship between the former speaker and the Hooda family.
Central to the dispute is the party's association with the late former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar. Kumar died at age 80 [1]. The controversy surrounding his legacy is amplified by the fact that he served two life sentences [2].
Sharma's public grievances highlight a divide over how the party handles internal dissent and the legacy of its members. While the Hooda camp maintains its leadership position, Sharma's claims of being marginalized suggest a struggle for representation among senior party figures in Haryana.
“Kuldeep Sharma has accused senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his associates of sidelining him.”
The public nature of this dispute suggests that the Haryana Congress is struggling to maintain a unified front. By airing grievances about leadership exclusion and the controversial legacy of figures like Sajjan Kumar, Sharma is challenging the Hooda faction's grip on the state party, which could lead to further fragmentation ahead of future electoral cycles.
