Hooda’s show of strength

Chandigarh: If his house warming is any indication, then former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda still reigns over the Haryana Congress. On Sunday, all roads led to Hooda’s new address - 70, Sector 7, Chandigarh. The gathering at his official residence was akin to a post-budget feast with bigwigs from the party, cabinet, legislature. His previous show of strength at Rohtak missed one legislator, but this time all 15 Congress MLAs were in attendance, with Leader of Congress Legislature Party (CLP) Kiran Choudhry also making an appearance. Two MPs, one each from Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, Shadi Lal Batra and Deepender Hooda, respectively, were also present. However, the divide in the party was clearly identifiable as state Congress chief Ashok Tanwar did not show up for the ceremony. Hooda’s another bete noire and Rajya Sabha MP Kumari Selja also gave the function a miss along with former power minister Captain Ajay Singh Yadav.