With the Indian National Congress’s presidential election process likely to get started in a few days, former Haryana Chief Minister and currently Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Bhupinder Singh Hooda asserts that G-23 — the group that has been pushing for collective and inclusive leadership at levels of decision-making in the party since August 2020, after its members wrote a letter to Sonia Gandhi to press for sweeping changes in the party — are not rebels, but reformists and the group is still relevant and would continue to extend suggestions in future as well to strengthen the party. In an exclusive interview with The Hindu, Mr. Hooda says that in Haryana, the party had to suffer in the absence of organisational structure at the district and block levels for the last few years, but now the present HPCC leadership is in the process of building a vibrant organisation, which would be in place within a month’s time. Excerpts:
As the Congress is scheduled to have a national party president election, is the G-23 now irrelevant?
Not at all, the group has not lost its relevance and is still relevant. We are reformists and not rebels. What we wrote was in the interest of the party, and the party has in fact worked on some of our suggestions. The election for the party president is being conducted. The senior leaders were impressing upon the party leadership for some reforms to revive the party. The party leadership has shown its sensitivity to the issues that we raised before the party. Some of our concerns have been taken care of, and to make the Congress stronger we will continue to give our suggestions.
