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Hooda Shocker In Haryana Stumps Congress Ahead Of Assembly Polls

Hooda Shocker In Haryana Stumps Congress Ahead Of Assembly Polls
Hindustan Times via Getty Images

Chandigarh: Causing huge embarrassment to the Congress leadership just two months ahead of the assembly polls in Haryana, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the two-time former chief minister today backed the BJP for the abrogation of articles 370 in Kashmir and said that the Congress has lost its way.

“When government of India does something right I support them. Many of my colleagues opposed the decision to abrogate article 370 my party has lost its way, it’s not the same Congress it used to be,” said Hooda while addressing a poll rally in Rohtak.

He further added that he would not compromise with anyone when it came to patriotism and self-respect.

“I was born in a patriotic family. Those who oppose (abrogation of Article 370), I want to tell them ‘usulon par jahan aanch aaye, vahan takrana zaruri hai. Jo zinda hai to zinda dikhna zaruri hai’ (When it’s about principles and traditions, we should fight for it. What’s alive, must look alive),” he said.

Hooda has shown his resentment at a time when the Congress leadership is already in doldrums. With just two months away for the assembly elections, the Congress is yet to chalk out a strategy to deal with the comfortably placed BJP leadership in the state.

The veteran leader known for his ‘Jat politics’ is presently under tremendous pressure to survive after his son Deepender Hooda, a poster boy of centric defiance in the Hindi heartland lost by a 15,000 vote margin in the recently held Lok Sabha elections from Rohtak.

Hindustan Times via Getty Images

Known as the family ground for Hooda family, Rohtak had elected Deepender three times, his father Bhupinder Singh Hooda four times, and his grandfather Ranbir Singh Hooda twice.

Surprisingly, majority of the 20,000 postal ballots in Rohtak received from armed forces personnels in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections went to BJP.

Now with assembly elections round the corner, Hooda cannot afford to overlook the mood of Haryana, known as the land of ‘Kisans and Jawans’.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressing a rally last week in Jind also applauded the people of Haryana for sending the highest number of people to armed forces. He also dedicated the abrogation of article 370 in Kashmir to the people of Haryana.

Congress has indeed lost its way

During the recently held Lok Sabha elections, two lakh panna-pramukhs were involved by the BJP to micro-manage the electorate in Haryana.

BJP leaders believed that panna-pramukhs had played a key role in showcasing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s achievements at the grassroots. The party has, therefore, increased their numbers by 50 per cent to 3 lakh, who will work for the Assembly elections in Haryana.

Also, the Shakti Kendras established in each Mandal too were involved to ensure that even the last vote should be counted in favour of the saffron party.

On the contrary, Congress in the last five years in yet to form district level presidents to stabilise its cadre. The ongoing fight between Hooda and the incumbent state President Ashok Tanwar has further divided the party cadet into ‘Jats’ and ’SC ’supporters.

By expressing his resentment to the party leadership, Hooda wants them to formulate clear strategy to contest the assembly polls slated to be be held in October. He also wants to be announced as the CM candidate for the party.

While speculations are rife amongst the political parties that Hooda may soon announce his separation from Congress and float his own party, experts feel that his chances of leaving the party are very rare.

Earlier also, three of the former Chief Ministers Bansi Lal, Bhajan lal ad Rao Birender Singh launched their own political outfits but could not survive long in the state.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.