Haryana: Three Ex-MLAs Join Congress, Hooda Says 'Operation Reverse Lotus' Going On In State

Congress leader Deepender Hooda said several former BJP MLAs and ministers have joined the grand old party in Haryana.

Congress leader Deepender Hooda on Wednesday claimed that "Operation Reverse Lotus" was going on in Haryana as three former MLAs, a municipality chairman and at least 12 sitting and former councillors joined the party.

"29 former MLAs, ministers of BJP have joined Congress in the last few months. Today as well three former MLAs of the BJP joined Congress...this shows that Haryana is going towards development," ANI quoted Hooda as saying.

The development is a setback to the BJP-JJP coalition government, with eight months left for the Lok Sabha elections.

Welcoming everyone to the party, Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the coalition government "is now a guest for a few months".

Last week, Deepender Hooda targeted the Manohar Lal Khattar government in Haryana over alleged corruption while asserting that "a wave has been sweeping the state in favour of the Congress".

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Addressing party workers in Bhiwani, Hooda said the BJP-JJP government had "humiliated and harassed" every section of society.

"People have made up their minds to get rid of these people in the next elections," he further said.

Last month, Hooda said the BJP was rattled by the Congress and former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda's popularity.

He said BJP was still showcasing the projects started by the Congress government as its achievements in Haryana despite being nine years in power.

The Congress MP made the remarks after Union Minister Amit Shah hit out at the erstwhile Congress government in Haryana during an address in Sirsa.

"The Home Minister's speech in his rally at Sirsa repeatedly kept quipping Bhupinder Hooda, which was a clear indicator of how rattled the BJP is with the popularity of Bhupinder Hooda. In a democracy, the Opposition asks questions and the government is to answer. But even after nine years of government, the Home Minister's speech gave the impression that he was addressing the rally of the Opposition instead of a ruling party," The Hindu quoted Hooda as saying.