Hooda sounds poll bugle with a promise of ‘New Haryana’
PALWAL RALLY Former CM says political forces are against him, but he is not afraid of anyone
HODAL (PALWAL): Embattled former chief minister of Haryana, Bhupinder Singh Hooda sounded the bugle for next year’s state assembly polls on Sunday by promising to build a New Haryana by banishing caste system if the Congress was voted to power.
Addressing a gathering at the launch of his Jan Kranti Yatra at the Hodal Anaj Mandi in Palwal district, “There are several forces (against him), but I am not afraid of them. If I have any fear, it is of you (public). Through you, I want to tell them that I would neither bow, nor stop, nor lose, nor tire. I have been fighting for you and I will keep fighting for you,” said the two-time chief minister after listing a slew of poll promises.
Hooda did not mention the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) chargesheet against him in the multi-crore Manesar land scam that allegedly took place during his tenure.
Political experts say that Hooda’s yatra is aimed at projecting himself as the undisputed Congress leader in Haryana and is timed to counter the effects of the charge-sheet against him.
Hooda, though, who addressed the gathering from the roof of a bus modified as a chariot, said that the yatra was meant to promote brotherhood and he was forced to launch it keeping in mind the public’s pain under the BJP regime.
The bus had to be remodelled after Hooda fractured his left foot at a function in Panipat on February 12.
Hooda added that doctors and well-wishers had advised him to either postpone the yatra or stay away from it, but he could not resist his urge to meet people. “Consider yourself Bhupinder Singh Hooda and develop the attitude of Jan Kranti (mass revolution). Go street-to street, door-to-door. My plaster will be removed after a month and I will join you all,” Hooda added.
Hooda’s promises on employment, farmer-friendly initiatives, infrastructure projects, women safety, welfare of Scheduled Castes and backward classes and improvement in law and order etc reflected an unofficial Congress manifesto.
WILL QUESTION GOVT : DEEPENDER HOODA
“Some people think that pressure politics will work but you (public) are our strength. With honesty, hard work and good intentions we will ask them (government) questions (about performance),” said Hooda’s son Deepender Singh Hooda, who is also a Congress Member of Parliament from Rohtak.
The majority of the Congress leaders, who spoke at the event, did not directly refer to the CBI chargesheet.
All leaders vowed to by Hooda’s side if any action was taken against him.
“The Congress will form the (next) government, but under the leadership of Hooda. The high command will come to know that there is no alternative to Hooda in Haryana,” said former Congress minister Shiv Charan Lal Sharma.
Deepender told local leaders that arrangements had fallen short, seeing the number of people who were seen responding to the leaders’ speeches with cheers.
Bhupinder went to add that the BJP and the INLD had got ‘Hooda Phobia’ that will not be easily cured.
“This yatra will be the last nail in the Khattar government’s coffin and the Congress will return to power,” said Sharda Rathore, Ballabhgarh Congress MLA.
Traffic on National Highway number 2 (Mathura road) in Pawal remained affected due to the rally with locals claiming that there were violations of rules.