Congress leader Ashok Tanwar, who is leading a faction-ridden state party unit in Haryana, faces a stiff challenge in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls as the factionalism threatens to derail the party’s prospects in the state.
Tanwar, however, seems positive about Congress’ prospects in the polls in Haryana.
“Everyone in the Congress has one goal, which is to defeat the BJP and INLD in the Lok Sabha polls. We are confident to win all 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana,” says Tanwar.
Maintaining that the larger objective of the Congress is to defeat the BJP in ensuing Lok Sabha polls and State Assembly polls later this year, he also denies having enmity with anyone in the party including the former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.
The humiliating defeat of the Congress in 2014 Lok Sabha polls and assembly polls held later that year in Haryana had led to a bitter feud between Tanwar, a dalit leader and an upper caste Jat Hooda, who headed Congress’ Government in Haryana from 2004-2014.
While the factionalism is not a new phenomenon in Haryana Congress, the feud between Tanwar and Hooda had taken an ugly turn in 2016 during a party workers’ clash where Tanwar had sustained injuries and blamed Hooda for the entire incident.
Since then, Hooda faction made several attempts to dislodge Tanwar from his post but the demand of change in the state party leadership was ignored by the party high command.
Tanwar now terms the entire controversy, a thing of past and says that the party is focused on Lok Sabha polls now.
To put up a united face in Haryana in view of polls, senior party leaders in the faction-ridden state party unit are presently undertaking a six-day statewide “Parivartan Yatra”.
Tanwar, 43, has a crucial victory in 2009 Lok Sabha polls in Chautala’s citadel Sirsa to his credit and eyeing to contest from the same seat in 2019 polls.
The former MP had lost to INLD’s candidate Charanjeet Singh Rori in 2014 polls. Tanwar, however, had in the past five years focused on Sirsa parliamentary constituency and addressed many public meetings besides launching several party’s campaigns there.
The Congress leader had earlier served as the chief of Indian Youth Congress and worked closely with party president Rahul Gandhi. Tanwar was handpicked by Rahul Gandhi to head the Haryana unit of the party in 2014 and is believed to be close to the party chief.
In an interview with The Pioneer, Tanwar spoke on party’s infighting, election agenda and other issues. Excerpts from the interview
What is your view on prospects of the Congress in the polls?
The Congress is in the strongest position among all political parties. This is evident from the fact that Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi party convener Arvind Kejriwal is desperately trying to form an alliance with the Congress in Haryana and Delhi. Also, various sections of society have suffered in the past five years’ regime of the BJP and they know that Congress is the only strong alternative for them in the country as well as at state level. We are confident to perform well in the polls under the leadership of Congress president Rahul Gandhi.
Congress is stated to be divided in several factions in Haryana. Do you think it will affect the party’s poll prospects?
In Congress, there is a space for difference of opinion. I don’t think it is a serious issue. All the party leaders have same goal, which is to defeat the BJP and INLD in Haryana.
Everyone is aware about your differences with the former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The senior party leaders and MLAs close to Hooda, had also been demanding your ouster from the state party leadership. Your take on that.
This was all in the past. As I earlier said, now everyone’s goal is to oust the BJP Government from the country and the state. The party leaders are making collective efforts to achieve this goal.
What will be party’s main agenda during polls?
Issues of unemployment, farmers’ distress, deteriorating law and order situation, demonetization and faulty GST implementation, corruption among others will be raised during the campaigning. Haryana has witnessed violence and was burnt thrice in the past five years. This will be a key election issue as well. Apart from this, the amendment in Punjab Land Preservation (Haryana Amendment) Bill 2019 is a big scam in Haryana and we will raise this in the polls.
Since this is a national election, do you think the issue of IAF’s air strike in Pakistan will upstage other issues in the polls?
The BJP led Central Government has been exposed after the Pulwama terror attack. People are aware about the major intelligence failure and also, the failed foreign policy under BJP’s regime. The countrymen also know the reality of other claims made by the BJP following the Pulwama attack.
The state will witness a multi-cornered electoral fight this time. There is BJP, Congress, INLD, Jannayak Janta Party, Aam Aadmi Party, BSP-LSP alliance in the fray. Who do you think as your main challenger in the polls?
This depends on seat to seat contest. It will be clear after the announcement of candidates. But, the BJP Government at the Centre as well as in Haryana has performed badly during its tenure and the Congress is currently in a strong position.
There are accusations of corruption against the former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. Lands deals in Haryana during Congress’ ten-year tenure had become a major election issue in 2014. Do you think the same issue and ongoing investigations in various scams will affect party’s poll prospects in 2019?
They (BJP) have only made accusations against the Congress. Even after so many inquiries, they could not find anything or prove the allegations in the last five years. The BJP works with a negative mindset and it is evident from their actions. During its tenure, the BJP have done nothing but blame the Congress for everything.
As the elections have been pushed to sixth phase in Haryana, how the party will go about its election strategy? When will the Congress announce its candidates in Haryana? Also, do you think that delay in elections here will somehow impact the poll outcome?
The party will take time to announce its candidates as the elections are scheduled to be held on May 12 in Haryana. We have a lot of time to prepare and campaign ahead of the polling day. As far as the delay in polling day is concerned, I feel it will work in Congress’ favor. The BJP’s lies are exposed on the issues of Rafeal deal, air strike in Pakistan, failure on national security among other issues.
Will you contest the Lok Sabha polls? You have expressed interest to contest from Sirsa.
Yes, I am interested in contesting from Sirsa Lok Sabha seat. Sirsa is my hometown and I had earlier represented the constituency in the Lok Sabha. I was elected from Sirsa in 2009 Lok Sabha polls. I hope the party will repose its faith in me again.
How do you rate the performance of BJP regime in Haryana?
BJP Government has proved to be an insensitive, incompetent and non-performing government in Haryana. This BJP Government has become the worst in the entire history of Haryana. Corruption is on the rise. There are land scams, mining scams, PLPA amendment scam among others. Also, there is no law and order as the state had witnessed violence during agitations in BJP’s regime.
It is being said that there is Jat Vs non-Jat divide in Haryana after the Jat reservation agitation in 2016. Do you think it will affect Congress’ poll prospects and impact the poll outcome in 2019?
This is BJP’s thought process. BJP had tried to divide the people but it had a temporary affect. People have now understood the intentions of BJP, which wants to rule and divide. There is no such divide in the state.