Bickering in Haryana Cong after Hisar LS bypoll defeat

Internal bickering in the Haryana Congress on Friday came to the fore with the party "unanimously" passing a resolution demanding action against all those who "sabotaged" the party nominees' chances in the Hisar Lok Sabha bye-election.

Ruling Congress nominee Jai Prakash finished a poor third failing to save even his security deposit in the bypoll in which the Haryana Janhit Congress-Bharatiya Janata Party combine nominee Kuldeep Bishnoi won defeating his nearest rival Ajay Singh Chautala (INLD) by 6,323 votes.

The resolution demanding action "against all those who sabotaged the party candidate's prospects" was passed unanimously at a general body meeting of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee presided over by state unit Chief Phool Chand Mullana and attended among others by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who had got the nomination for Jai Parkash.

A party spokesman said the resolution did not name anyone except saying that those holding responsible positions within the party had not acted in a responsible manner and sabotaged party nominee's chances.

The resolution along with a detailed report on the party's performance in the bypoll would be sent to Congress General Secretary B K Hariprasad, who is also the incharge of party affairs in Haryana.

"The high command should take action against all those who sabotaged the party's prospects at Hisar," the resolution demanded.

Supporters of Jai Prakash raised slogans against some party leaders at the entrance of the party headquarters where the meeting of the general body was held.

Union Minister Selja, state ministers Ajay Yadav and Kiran Chaudhary and former HPCC President and Minister Birendra Singh did not attend the meeting.

Asked if he had sent any letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi demanding action against Selja and Birendra Singh, as reported by a section of the media, Jai Prakash told reporters that he would not like to discuss the issue in the open.

"The issue relates to the party and I will only raise it at the party platform," he said.