Birender Singh and Sirsa MLA Gokul Setia Clash from Sirsa Protests to Kalayat Rally

• by Akanksha Mishra
• 2026-10-12 16:35:00

The internal factionalism within the Haryana unit of the Indian National Congress has spilled into the open once again, marked by an escalating public confrontation between veteran politician and former Union Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh and sitting Sirsa legislator Gokul Setia. The lingering friction between the two influential camps reached a flashpoint during a Congress demonstration in Sirsa this October, culminating in fiery rhetoric during a party workers' convention at Kalayat in Kaithal district. While Gokul Setia has publicly launched sharp attacks against Birender Singh and his son, former Member of Parliament Brijendra Singh, the state party leadership finds itself scrambling to restore fragile unity among local district factions.

Flashpoint from Sirsa to Kalayat: Personal Grievances Trigger Open Political Attacks

The simmering personal acrimony between both prominent camps dates back several months before exploding into public political broadsides:

Trigger Over Family Wedding Snub: The underlying dispute deepened following Brijendra Singh’s absence from the high-profile wedding of Gokul Setia’s brother, Vibhor, which drew open displeasure from the Sirsa lawmaker.

Boycott of Sadbhavna Yatra: Consequently, Gokul Setia distanced himself from Brijendra Singh's political rally in Sirsa during his statewide Sadbhavna Yatra, even as the former MP clarified that prior travel commitments caused the missed attendance.

Social Media Spat and District Refusal: Tension heightened after Setia took swipes at Brijendra on digital channels in May, followed by an announcement in August refusing to collaborate with Sirsa District Congress President Santosh Beniwal over ideological disagreements.

Sharp Broadside at Kalayat: The feud peaked when Setia used a workers’ forum in Kalayat to openly target both father and son, leaving district cadres polarized between competing regional loyalties.

Observership Stirs Controversy: Protest Boycott Highlights Deep Factional Rift

The appointment of Birender Singh to spearhead a central party protest became the latest catalyst for inter-party discord:

Dispute Over Sirsa Demonstration: Controversy erupted when the Congress high command appointed Birender Singh as the official observer to spearhead a demonstration in Sirsa demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Sitting MLA Questions Party Stature: Taking strong offense, Gokul Setia questioned the appointment, publicly stating that the state leadership seemingly overlooked his role as the local elected representative.

Boycott of October 8 March: Demonstrating his displeasure, Setia boycotted the demonstration led by Birender Singh on October 8, directly challenging the veteran leader's regional authority.

Factional Camps at Play: The standoff reflects broader camps within the Haryana Congress, with Brijendra Singh widely aligned with the influential faction led by former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

State In-Charge Sanjay Dutt Intervenes as Central Leadership Urges Restraint

With public mudslinging threatening organizational cohesion across multiple assembly segments, state leaders have stepped in to halt further damage:

Appeal for Internal Dialogue: Congress state in-charge Sanjay Dutt issued a direct appeal to both camps, urging leaders to refrain from issuing retaliatory public statements and to bring grievances to official party platforms instead.

Efforts to Bridge Grassroots Gaps: The central leadership faces an urgent challenge to contain public rifts between senior leaders and establish structured coordination mechanisms across district party units in Sirsa and Kaithal.

Call for Organizational Unity: Reiterating his stance on state factionalism, Sanjay Dutt underscored that personal and strategic differences are natural in a large organization, but must never be allowed to undermine the broader organizational objective of strengthening the party structure ahead of upcoming electoral battles.

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