Huda named Haryana CM

Bhupinder Singh Huda, rebel extraordinary and Jat strongman of Haryana, was today crowned chief minister after the Congress reported an overwhemling victory in the Assembly elections and found itself facing a problem of plenty in the choice of chief minister.

Before naming Huda for the coveted job, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi invited Bhajan Lal, former Haryana chief minister and the man widely expected to get the job, for a talk. Lal who had not hidden his ambition and has the support of 34 MLAs, belongs to the non-Jat caste, Bishnoi.

Gandhi reportedly told him that his son, Chandramohan, who has won the Kalka seat, would be accommodated in the Cabinet as deputy chief minister.

This was not the end of the saga of the Jats. The other winning jats, Birender Singh and Shamsher Singh Surjewala also needed to be pacified. They too were consulted and told that their aspirations would be addressed.

The man who defeated OP Chautala in Narwana, Randip Singh Surjewala could be made minister or his father be made Speaker in the new Assembly. Birender Singh was also offered a ministership with the choice of the Centre or the state. That is what clinched the chief ministership issue.

For Bhajan Lal, his solid bloc of 34 MLAs was both the problem and the solution. His claim was entertained because he had so many followers.

But because the Congress got such a spectacular result, the claims of all the other Congress leaders together had the effect of defeating his 34 MLA strength.

The assessment was that Birender Singh would turn out to be the dark Jat horse. It has been Huda.

Massive police bandobast at the Haryana Bhavan, the Congress headquarters and near 10, Janpath, was testimony to the law and order problem that the government anticipated might break out among the supporters of the various aspirants.

A scuffle did, in fact, break out between Bhajan Lal's followers and others. But the presence of the Rapid Action Foce prevented any untoward incident.

Huda's appointment is consistent with the Congress belief that a generational change should take place in states where the party comes to power. Being a central appointee with the smaller number of MLA, Huda does not represent any danger to the supremacy of the Centre.

Because of the huge majority, even with 34 MLAs, which is more than one third, Bhajan Lal does not represent a danger of toppling the government by walking out of the party because with some judicious floor management, the party can reach the 50 per cent mark""45""in the 90-member Assembly and will not be affected by Bhajan Lal's defection.

It was Sonia Gandhi personal intervention and Congress general secretary in charge of Haryana Janardan Dwivedi's skilful manipulation that led to the relatively painless appointment of the chief minister of Haryana.

But Huda will have to labour hard to keep everyone especially his flock at the fringes, satisfied.