The Congress party has named Rao Narendra Singh as the new President of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC), ending months of speculation over the post. Former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has been appointed Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader in Haryana. The appointments, effective immediately, come nearly ten months after the party’s poor showing in the state Assembly elections.
Despite the elections concluding months ago, the Congress had not appointed either a state chief or a Leader of Opposition in the Haryana Assembly for months.
Why Rao Narendra Singh Was Chosen
Party insiders pointed out that Rao Narendra Singh’s elevation is part of a wider strategy to strengthen Congress in southern Haryana, particularly among OBC communities and the Ahir vote bank. The region — covering Rewari, Mahendragarh and Gurugram — has 11 Assembly seats. In the 2024 elections, Congress secured just one, while BJP took the remaining ten. The BJP had previously swept all 11 seats in 2014.
Leaders believe that offering prominent OBC representation could improve Congress’s electoral prospects. Moreover, Singh is not aligned with any particular faction, a factor seen as reducing risks of infighting within the party.
Rao Narendra Singh’s Political Career
Rao Narendra Singh is a three-time MLA. He was elected twice from Ateli (1996 and 2000) and later from Narnaul in 2009. Between 2009 and 2014, he served as Haryana’s Health Minister. Initially associated with the Haryana Janhit Congress, he later switched to the Congress. His father, the late Rao Bansi Singh, was also a three-time legislator and served once as Panchayat Minister. Rao Narendra Singh has previously held the post of General Secretary in the HPCC.
End of SC Quota Streak
The appointment also marks a shift from the recent tradition of Scheduled Caste leaders heading the HPCC. The last four presidents — Phool Chand Mullana, Ashok Tanwar, Kumari Selja and Chaudhary Udaybhan — all came from the SC community. Udaybhan, who is being replaced, not only lost his seat but also drew criticism for the party’s poor performance under his watch, leading to growing speculation about his removal.
