Hooda to be new Haryana CM

NDTV.com - News on Hooda to be new Haryana CM: "Rohtak MP Bhupinder Singh Hooda will be the new Chief Minister of Haryana. What tipped the scales in Hooda's favour was his clean image and the fact that he is a prominent Jat leader, factors which went against Bhajan Lal. In-fact, another Jat leader Virendra Singh was also in the race till the last minute, but the honours ultimately went to Hooda.

Meanwhile, Bhajan Lal and his 20 supporters stayed away from the CLP meet amidst indication that Hooda could be chosen for the post. Even as Hooda is ready to be sworn in the state's 19th Chief Minister, Bhajan Lal's tone continues to be defiant and he has resigned from the post of Haryana PCC chief. He has reportedly refused the post of Orissa governor offered to him by the party, while his son declined the post of Haryana deputy chief minister.

Becoming the Chief Minister has been an ambition that Hooda has been nursing for over a decade. Defeating Lok Dal leader Devi Lal thrice, in 1991, 1996 and 1998 had given Hooda the status of a 'giant killer', and this time even before the election verdict was announced he had declared his candidature for the CM's post. The party finally settled for Hooda because he is a prominent Jat leader from Rohtak district, an area which has never thrown up a chief minister before.

As Haryana Congress president in 1997, Hooda led the party campaign first against Bansi Lal and then against Om Prakash Chautala. But in the last year, he had become the face of the Congress rebellion against Bhajan Lal. Hooda is now being asked to work with Bhajan Lal, and that will be the first test of his ability to graduate from a rabble-rousing leader to a chief minister."