# Haryana Congress Rift Deepens As Sirsa MLA Gokul Setia Challenges MP Kumari Selja Over Campaign Appointments > Sirsa Congress MLA Gokul Setia has publicly criticized his party's Lok Sabha MP Kumari Selja and contested the appointment of former minister Birender Singh as campaign in-charge. **Type:** article · **Category:** Haryana · **Published:** 2026-10-06 · **Source:** TrendKia **Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/haryana/sirsa-men-congress-ki-andaruni-khinchatana-teja-mla-gokul-setia-ne-mp-kumari-selja-aura-birender-singh-para-sadha-nishana-43681 · **Language:** English **Tags:** Gokul Setia, Kumari Selja, Birender Singh, Haryana Congress, Sirsa, Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan Internal friction within the Haryana unit of the Congress party has resurfaced following a sharp public outburst by Sirsa MLA Gokul Setia against his party colleague and Lok Sabha MP Kumari Selja. The controversy erupted over leadership appointments made for the upcoming Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan, scheduled to commence on October 8. Expressing deep dissatisfaction on social media, the legislator voiced strong objections to the appointment of former minister Chaudhary Birender Singh as the in-charge for Sirsa district, linking the political manoeuvre directly to the influence of the local parliamentarian. ## Dispute Over Consultation and Organizational Authority Gokul Setia questioned the administrative protocol followed during these assignments, drawing a comparison with hypothetical appointments elsewhere. He argued that had he been designated to lead campaign efforts in Uchana, local election contenders would have routinely been consulted beforehand. However, in Sirsa, the in-charge and party leadership opted to bypass the sitting Congress MLA entirely. Setia stated that the member of parliament visited Uchana, and within a matter of days, this organizational appointment was finalized. Asserting that such a decision could not realistically bypass a senior figure and sitting MP, Setia demanded transparent clarification regarding any underlying grievances the parliamentarian holds against him. ## Grievances Stemming From Past Electoral Battles Levelling serious allegations of party betrayal against Kumari Selja, the legislator brought up grievances from earlier electoral contests. Setia pointed out that during the assembly elections, no effort was made by the MP to persuade a fellow associate to withdraw in his support. Furthermore, he claimed that during the municipal council elections, key associates aligned with the parliamentarian openly worked against the official Congress candidate while leadership turned a blind eye. Setia remarked that organizational positions are now repeatedly being granted to his political detractors, warning that his past restraint should not be mistaken for ignorance. ## Political Feud With Chaudhary Birender Singh The announcement naming Chaudhary Birender Singh as the head for Sirsa ahead of the October 8 democracy-saving drive remains the principal flashpoint of the dispute. While acknowledging personal respect for Birender Singh due to his senior age, Setia maintained that substantial political differences divide them. The MLA noted that Birender Singh is fully aware of their persistent political rivalry. Setia added that if the former minister remains keen on engaging in a political face-off, he is welcome in Sirsa. Expressing personal hurt over the appointment, Setia declared that his style of politics relies on open confrontation rather than covert manoeuvres. ## What this means for you Internal friction between regional party leaders directly impacts party grassroots coordination and the execution of political campaigns. - **Across India:** Factional disputes inside prominent state units dilute the focus of nationwide political campaigns. Party cadres face confusion when senior leaders air disagreements publicly instead of presenting a unified organizational front. - **In Haryana:** The open rift ahead of the planned drive on October 8 risks weakening the opposition party's outreach efforts across districts. Internal dissent in influential regions like Sirsa undermines organizational momentum at crucial junctures. - **For Local Voters:** Residents looking to their elected legislators to pursue civic issues find attention diverted toward intra-party squabbles. Public advocacy on developmental priorities often takes a backseat when politicians become entangled in personal rivalries. - **For Party Workers:** Grassroots volunteers are caught in factional loyalty tests between the sitting legislator and the newly designated district in-charge. This tension complicates routine logistical planning and campaign mobilization at the ward level. ## Why this happened The confrontation was triggered by the appointment of former minister Chaudhary Birender Singh as the campaign supervisor for Sirsa without prior consultation with the local sitting MLA. - **Bypassing Local Leadership:** Gokul Setia took strong objection to the party leadership making district-level appointments in his constituency without consulting the elected representative. He perceived this lack of dialogue as deliberate exclusion from key organizational decisions. - **Perceived Influence of the MP:** The MLA directly linked the appointment to MP Kumari Selja following her visit to Uchana, asserting that such a placement could not occur without her active approval. Setia viewed this move as an attempt to empower his direct political rivals in the district. - **Legacy of Past Election Rivalries:** The disagreement stems from simmering grievances dating back to previous assembly and municipal council elections. Setia alleged that associates of the parliamentarian had consistently worked against official candidates without facing any reprimand. ## Questions & Answers ### 1. Why is Sirsa MLA Gokul Setia upset with his party leadership? Gokul Setia is aggrieved over the appointment of former minister Chaudhary Birender Singh as the Sirsa campaign in-charge without consulting him as the local MLA. ### 2. What allegations did Gokul Setia level against MP Kumari Selja? Setia accused Kumari Selja of betraying the party and claimed that appointments favoring his political adversaries occurred with her approval. ### 3. When is the Congress Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan scheduled to start? The campaign is set to begin on October 8. ### 4. What remarks did Gokul Setia make regarding Chaudhary Birender Singh? Setia stated that while he respects Birender Singh's age, they share deep political differences, adding that Singh is welcome in Sirsa if he wants a political face-off. --- _TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.. Machine-readable view; canonical HTML at the URL above._