Bhai, I am very happy: Bhajan Lal

All roads led to the 137 Golf Links residence of Haryana Congress leader Bhajan Lal soon after news came in that the party was heading for a landslide victory in the Haryana assembly election.

Party supporters distributed sweets to visitors. "Bhai Chaudhary saheb ne kamal kar diya; 71,000 hazar voton se jeeten hain (Chaudary Bhajan Lal has done wonders. He has won by more then 71,000 votes," said the supporters as they hugged each other.

"Ja bhai ye do hazar rupaye leja aur patakhe le aa (Take Rs 2000, go and get firecrackers). Chaudhary sahib ne celebrate karne ko kaha hai," said Bhajan Lal's personal assistant to one of his men, as he handed over the money.

Speaking to rediff.com over the telephone from Hissar, Bhajan Lal declared he was a candidate for the post of chief minister.

"Bhai, I am very happy. We should have got a few more seats but that does not matter now. I will stake my claim. I will be back in Delhi in the evening and talk to the media after that please," he said before disconnecting the call.

Bhajan Lal will take a victory lap in Adampur constituency that returned him with a huge margin before heading to Delhi by road.

PTI adds: Bhupinder Singh Hooda has also thrown his hat into the ring for the race for the post of chief minister.

The former Pradesh Congress Committee chief met All India Congress Committee General Secretary Ambika Soni on Sunday. He said, "I am in the race and ready to fulfill the responsibility if given an opportunity by the party leadership."

On the procedure of deciding who will become chief minister, Hooda said as per the party's tradition it is the high command that decides after consulting the newly elected legislators.

"The party leadership will send observers to ascertain the views of the legislators and decide who will be the chief minister," he said.

Meanwhile, senior Haryana leaders, including Birendra Singh, Kumari Selja and Randeep Singh Surjewala, are expected to call on Congress President Sonia Gandhi to greet her on the party's victory in the state and discuss government formation.