ABP Shikhar Sammelan: Hooda Claims Congress’ Return In Haryana; Says ‘Will Contest, If Party Asks’

Terming the tenure of the BJP government as a total “failure,” Hooda exuded confidence of clinching maximum seats in the upcoming polls.

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister of Haryana Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that he would contest the upcoming Haryana elections if the party asks him to, while asserting that the support of people this time is with the Congress party. Speaking to ABP News at its flagship summit Shikhar Sammelan, held in the poll-bound state of Haryana to discuss the political scenario ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections, BS Hooda said that he and his son Deepender Singh Hooda will contest in the polls if the party leadership asks them to. Terming the tenure of the BJP government as a total “failure,” Hooda exuded confidence of clinching maximum seats in the upcoming polls. He flayed the BJP government and said that unemployment has risen to 28% in the state and similar spike has been witnessed in crime rates. “Today, Haryana has become number 1 in crime and unemployment. People of Haryana are sensible, they note the difference. Their support will be with Congress this time.” Blaming the previous assembly debacle in 2014 on Modi wave, Hooda said, “ In 2014, there was a wave due to which BJP won in the General Elections, the effect of the wave was also felt in the assembly polls conducted right after the Lok Sabha elections.” He slammed the present BJP government and alleged that it has done away with all the welfare schemes introduced by the Congress governmmnt.. When asked about the land scam allegations against him, Hooda said that all the cases against him are politically motivated and that raids don’t prove anybody guilty. He strongly denied there was any kind of land scam in Haryana during his tenure. "There has been no land scam under my rule in Haryana. In fact, I have not bought even an inch of land in Haryana in my working tenure,” he said. When asked about Article 370, Hooda said that it is now a law passed by the Parliament of the country, which is to be accepted by all, so there is no point of considering it as an issue now. He said "the real issue now is restoration of peace in the region, and for that, all of us will have to come together". He said that in Haryana elections, Article 370 will not be the topic, but the failures of the Khattar government will be the chief issue.