New Delhi,

Hopes of leadership change in Haryana were revived on Saturday afternoon when Congress president Rahul Gandhi sat with former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda for lunch at a luxury hotel here. The meeting was made even more significant by the presence of Congress general secretary Ashok Gehlot, who is in charge of party organisation. Gehlot is also a personal friend of Hooda. The meeting went on for more than an hour with Rahul discussing with party veterans a range of political issues. The leaders are also learnt to have discussed Haryana at length given rapidly changing political landscape in the state. Rahul was interested in finding out what the potential impact of the INLD and the BSP pre-poll alliance would be and also whether the Aam Aadmi Party would be a major factor. AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal recently declared his party would fight all seats in Haryana. The discussions also come at a time when the Haryana Congress is looking for change after the exit of Kamal Nath, former general secretary and in charge of the state. Rahul had to put a state in charge in place in Haryana before affecting leadership change there. Hooda is widely acceptable to the state Congress leadership with several MLAs openly speaking for his anointment as Haryana Congress president. Many Haryana Congress lawmakers have met Rahul and earlier Sonia Gandhi to bat for Hooda once incumbent chief Ashok Tanwar is replaced. Recently, five MLAs met Rahul to ask for leadership that reflects the aspirations of the people of Haryana. “Collective leadership is a good concept but not in a state like Haryana where Hooda is the unquestioned leader and a binding force for the state Congress. He must be made the state party president to win elections,” Haryana Congress MLA Jai Tirath Dahiya told The Tribune on Saturday. Earlier MLAs Geeta Bhukkal, Shakuntala Ghatak, Jaiveer Singh and Uday Bhan backed Hooda’s elevation  in a meeting with Rahul. Congress leaders also privately say Hooda is to Haryana  what Capt Amarinder Singh was to Punjab. “The Congress president has made good choices to head states. Kamal Nath has been made Madhya Pradesh president when it was widely believed Jyotiraditya Scindia would be appointed. Everyone has a utility. Veterans are indispensable in leadership roles in some states and Haryana is one of them,” said a senior Congress leader.