The BJP swept Haryana in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, winning all 10 seats in the state. In the past five years, the Congress has attempted to revive its base on the ground even as it has battled internal differences among its top leadership. In an interview, Haryana Leader of the Opposition and former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda tells The Indian Express that issues of unemployment, unprecedented price rise, farm protests and the “unfair treatment” of women wrestlers will determine the choice of the electorate as Haryana votes on May 25. Excerpts: * You are confident about the Congress sweeping the polls in Haryana. Why? There are multiple factors. The people of Haryana have seen the BJP government in the state for the last 10 years. It has been a non-performing government throughout its tenure in all aspects, whether its per capita income, law and order situation, employment, or price rise. Thanks to the BJP’s policies, Haryana has become number one in unemployment. Young children are forced to leave their homes in search of jobs. The youth is convinced that they have no future under the BJP. That is why every second young person wants to go abroad even if it is illegally through donkey routes. The Congress wants to make Haryana a state where no youth is forced to leave his motherland. We will bring jobs and ensure vacant government posts are filled. People will not vote for the BJP because it has failed to fulfil promises that it made in 2014 and then in 2019. Did they double farmers' income? Did they ensure employment to youth? Did they give a guarantee on MSP to farmers? A strong wind of change is flowing across Haryana. * BJP leaders are asking people to focus on national issues when they vote in the Lok Sabha elections. The people of Haryana are viewing these (Lok Sabha) polls like the panchayat polls. They are fed up with this non-performing BJP government. People have not forgotten the year-long farmers’ agitation in which over 700 farmers lost their lives. People have not forgotten when our daughters (wrestlers who levelled sexual harassment allegations against BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh) who are the entire nation’s pride were forced to sit for days on end in New Delhi to seek justice. The humiliation they faced is definitely going to cost the BJP in Haryana. * What is the Congress’s central poll pitch? People have understood that if they (BJP) come to power for the third time, they will destroy our Constitution. The Congress manifesto, on the other hand, promises 25 guarantees that have touched the hearts of every person in Haryana. * Several BJP leaders are facing boycott calls in Haryana villages. How do you see this? People’s anger is coming to the fore when they see these (BJP) leaders in front of them. Not only in rural areas, the situation is the same in urban areas too. However, I do not agree with this method of showing anger. People should not stop these leaders from entering their villages or localities. They should exercise their franchise and stop these leaders from entering the Lok Sabha and the Vidhan Sabha. * You have campaigned across Haryana but so far you have not visited Sirsa (where Kumari Selja is contesting). Why? If a candidate asks me to campaign for them, I shall go there. If Selja also asks me to come and campaign for her, I will visit Sirsa too. * After three Independents withdrew support for it, the BJP government was on shaky ground. What is your take on that? The BJP has lost the moral right (to govern) because it has been reduced to a minority. Today, the Opposition has more numbers than the ruling party. The Opposition has already approached the Governor seeking the dissolution of the Assembly. Otherwise, there will be horse-trading. Now, there are reports that several MLAs of the Jannayak Janta Party (which was an ally of the government until March) are in touch with the BJP. There are also indications that JJP may break and that two-thirds of its MLAs merge into the BJP to avoid defection law … (JJP president) Dushyant Chautala says that his MLAs will have to follow the whip. If the party (JJP) breaks, then where does the whip stand? The Governor should dissolve this Assembly and fresh elections should be held. Let the people of Haryana decide who they want to see in the government.
