Haryana Cong mulls shadow cabinet to corner BJP-led state govt

Earlier, twenty years ago, former Haryana chief minister Bhajan Lal, who was then Congress Legislature Party leader in the state, had formed a “shadow cabinet” to keep a watch on the performance of the then INLD government, led by Om Prakash Chautala. When asked about the issue, Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala said on Wednesday that the Congress should first set their own house in order before thinking of any such thing.

The Haryana Congress has mooted forming a "shadow cabinet" to keep a watch on the performance of the state's BJP-led government. Mullana Congress MLA Varun Chaudhary said on Wednesday that at a meeting of the Haryana Congress Legislature Party here on Monday, the party MLAs had agreed to his suggestion on forming a "shadow cabinet". "The legislators while agreeing to my suggestion said this will enable public to know better about the failures of the government. I said it will also help opposition pinpoint issues and keep the government on its toes," he said.

The CLP meeting was presided over by former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who is also the Leader of the Opposition. The CLP meeting was called to discuss the state's political scenario and to devise the party strategy for the bypoll to the Baroda assembly seat in Sonipat district. The seat fell vacant in April following the demise of senior Congress leader Shri Krishan Hooda. The shadow cabinet, a legacy of the British parliamentary politics, comprises a team of senior group of opposition spokespersons chosen by the leader of opposition to mirror the cabinet in government. Earlier, twenty years ago, former Haryana chief minister Bhajan Lal, who was then Congress Legislature Party leader in the state, had formed a "shadow cabinet" to keep a watch on the performance of the then INLD government, led by Om Prakash Chautala.

When asked about the issue, Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala said on Wednesday that the Congress should first set their own house in order before thinking of any such thing. He claimed the Haryana Congress was a "divided house". "First, they should see if they can gather all their 30 MLAs, only then they should talk about A shadow cabinet," said Chautala. "In a recent CLP meeting, one-third Congress MLAs were missing. First they should set their house in order and then think of a shadow cabinet," the Jannayak Janta Party leader said. Chautala recalled when JJP extended support to BJP after the October 2019 assembly polls and formed the government in Haryana in alliance "the Congress leaders used to say that this government will fall within 10 days." "But it has been nine months now and the government is going strong and carrying out all-round development exercises".

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