‘Ready for Assembly polls along with Lok Sabha polls,’ says Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar

Asked about hectic preparations by the BJP in Haryana, Khattar said they were preparing for the parliamentary polls but were also looking after Assembly segments also. The CM said simultaneous polls would save resources.

“The Election Commission has a right to hold polls within six months (in advance). If Lok Sabha polls are held in November-December this year, then the EC won’t opt for Vidhan Sabha polls along with parliamentary polls. But it may opt for simultaneous polls if the Lok Sabha polls are held in May, in which case there would be a difference of five months (between the Lok Sabha polls and tenure of Haryana Vidhan Sabha),” he said.

Khattar denied they had conducted any survey showing adverse poll prospects for BJP MLAs in the state. “Our organisation is our survey, which knows the ground reality. We have 22 lakh verified members in the state, which is not a small number,” he said.

Asked about BJP’s principal opponent in Haryana, Khattar said these parties (Congress and INLD) were facing their own (internal) fights. Referring to hearing of a case related to decades old “Meham kand”, Khattar said it would have its own impact (against Chautalas). Referring to ongoing cases against former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Khattar said, “It would damage the politics of Hooda, if it (case) hits him.”

On the issue of SYL canal, Khattar said the state government was continuously pursuing the case in the Supreme Court.

Khattar said all cases of crime against women, including eve-teasing, may be handed over to fast-track courts, but in first phase, rape cases would be heard. The state government had recently announced that the accused in rape and eve-teasing cases in Haryana would now be debarred from government facilities such as old-age pension, pension for the physically disabled persons, driving and arms licenses.

“These services will remain suspended till the court announces verdict in the case. In case the accused is convicted and sentenced, he would not be eligible for these facilities anymore,” Khattar had announced recently.