Amid speculations that he may contest the Lok Sabha elections from Sonepat or Faridabad seat, former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Wednesday said that he has no intention to contest the parliamentary polls but if the party asks him to contest, he will do so.
“My priority is my party and if the Congress high command asks me to contest from any seat, I will…” Hooda said when asked which seat he prefers to contest from.
Recently, it was reported that Hooda has expressed his desire to the party high command to contest from Sonepat parliamentary constituency, which is Jat dominated seat and considered the bastion of the former CM. There were also reports that the party high command is considering him for Faridabad constituency.
On party’s prospects in the elections, the two-time former Chief Minister, while talking to the mediapersons here said that the Congress is confident of winning atleast 9 out of 10 seats in the state like it did in the 2009 election.
“Party’s six-day ‘Parivartan Yatra’ received huge response from the people of the state. People are waiting to vote out the BJP Government,” he claimed.
Commenting on contesting against Chief Minister Manohar Lal, Hooda said that he always welcomes such challenges and he will be ready to contest from wherever the party high command decides.
When asked about announcements of party candidate for Haryana, he said that the candidates are likely to be announced in a week or so.
On Congress’ poll promise to review Armed Forces' Special Powers Act turning into a major controversy, he said that it was misused during the current regime and fake cases of sedition was filed against many people.
Accusing the BJP of doing politics on the issue of “nationalism” and “national security”, Hooda also lashed out at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for describing Indian Army as “Modi ki Sena”.
The former CM, who was a member of Congress’ manifesto committee for 2019 Lok Sabha polls, said party’s manifesto titled as 'Hum Nibhayenge' focuses on agrarian crisis, unemployment, and the Congress’ minimum income scheme NYAY that guarantees Rs 72,000 a year to the bottom most or poorest 20 per cent of households is a major initiative.
Reacting to the statements of BJP leaders that his son Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda will not be able to retain his seat in elections because Bhupinder Singh Hooda is not Chief Minister of Haryana now, the former CM said, “I was four-time MP from Rohtak and my father was not the Chief Minister of the state at that time. My father was two-time MP from Rohtak and he was also not CM of Haryana at that time. These are irrelevant statements.”
His son three-time Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda is seeking mandate for the fourth time from the constituency and the BJP is focusing to wrest this Jat-dominated seat in the general elections. Rohtak was the only seat won by the Congress in 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
When asked to comment on senior Congress Kuldeep Bishnoi who had joined the party’s ‘Parivartan Yatra’ only on the day of party president Rahul Gandhi’s one day visit to the state, Hooda said he (Bishnoi) has time and again stated that he is a Congressman and there is no factionalism in Haryana Congress.
On whether the party will go for polls under the current state leadership, Hooda said that it is Rahul Gandhi’s decision… At present, our focus is Lok Sabha polls and to defeat BJP. The party is united and all Congressmen will fight unitedly against the BJP, he added.
In a reply to a question related to state party unit not appointing district and block presidents ahead of Lok Sabha polls, Hooda said, “It is correct that we have not appointed district or block presidents but our party workers will work in the elections to make the Congress victorious.”
LoP in Haryana Assembly likely to be decided after LS polls
Senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Wednesday said that the party is yet to decide on submitting the name for Leader of Opposition in Haryana Assembly to the Speaker.
In reply to a question, he said that the CLP meeting will be held to discuss the issue and a name will be nominated after this.
The name will be then submitted to the Haryana Speaker. The name for LoP can be submitted by state party president and other officer bearers, he added.
At present, the party is busy in view of Lok Sabha polls and the appointment might be made before or after the polls, he said in response to another question.
Recently, Indian National Lok Dal secretary general Abhay Chautala was removed from the post of the Leader of Opposition (LoP) post in the Haryana Assembly. After resignation of two INLD MLAs, Congress became the second largest party in the State Assembly with 17 MLAs.