After fighting the Lok Sabha elections on issues like rising prices and unemployment, the Indian National Congress is gearing up to fight the upcoming Haryana state elections on similar issues facing the people. The party’s election slogan, “Haryana Will Be Better,” claims that Haryana has the highest unemployment rate, highest price inflation and highest crime rate in India.
“Unemployment, rising prices and law and order will be the most important political issues in our election campaign. Over 2 lakh sanctioned posts remain vacant in various government departments. Examination papers have been leaked more than 30 times in the state and unemployment is 37.4 per cent,” former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said.
High prices of cooking gas cylinders and fuel have led to high inflation, Hooda said. “As per the Social Progress Index, Haryana has the highest law and order issues while it has the third highest rate of kidnappings in the country. All these important issues will be raised in our election campaign,” he added.
The BJP, which has not been in power in Haryana since 2014, has also begun organizational preparations at the district level. Assembly elections are due in October, as are polls in Maharashtra.
“We have already held internal consultations in almost all the districts. We will conclude the district-level consultations in Palwal on August 5. People of Haryana are very angry with the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) over the farmers’ issue and the way our athletes are being treated by the Modi government. These two issues will be key themes in our election campaign as well,” Hooda said.
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Taking inspiration from two marches conducted by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Lok Sabha member Deepender Hooda began a padyatra (foot march) on Sunday on the theme “Peace and Prosperity in Haryana” as a prelude to a major campaign to be launched by Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge and Gandhi as the elections draw near.
However, not all Congress units in Haryana are happy with the Hoodas’ election preparations. “The padyatra is an attempt to bring the Hoodas to the forefront of the Congress election campaign and grab leadership positions in Haryana. There are many capable leaders in Haryana who can lead the party. It is not like we can’t win the elections without the Hoodas,” said a Congress leader on condition of anonymity.
Factional infighting within the BJP in Haryana is a major hurdle the opposition will have to overcome. “The Hooda faction is the dominant force in the state but the rival faction, popularly known as SRK because it included Kumari Selja, Randeep Surjewala and Kiran Choudhury,” said a disgruntled leader. “Choudhury left the BJP to join the Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.”
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Factional infighting has delayed the selection of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections. At the last meeting of the Congress’ Central Election Committee on April 14, party general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala and former MP Kumari Selja objected to the names of candidates from Bhiwani and Gurugram who are ally of Hooda.
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For the first time in a decade, the Indian National Congress wrested five seats from the BJP in Haryana, but suffered defeats in Bhiwani and Gurugram.
Just as Gandhi raised important issues through his Bharat Jodh Yatra, Hooda’s padyatra, which came to Yamunanagar on Monday, pointed out major issues. “Today, during my Maange Hisab campaign in Haryana, I met patients admitted to the Civil Hospital in Yamunanagar and enquired about their health. I also met the doctors and staff of the hospital during this time,” Hooda said. “The people of Yamunanagar want an explanation from the BJP as to why 100 doctor’s posts are lying vacant at the Civil Hospital, why the hospital building is collapsing and why tiles are falling every day.”
