Hooda holds workers' meet to mobilise support for his Aug 18 rally

Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Sunday targeted the state government, accusing it of having failed on all fronts.

Hooda attacked the government addressing a meeting of his loyalists, convened to mobilise support for his 'Parivartan Maha Rally', slated to be held on August 18.

Hooda's loyalists have been seeking to put pressure on the Congress high command to change the party's state unit's chief Ashok Tanwar.

During his meeting, Hooda exhorted his supporters to work for ousting the "non-performing" M L Khattar government in the upcoming assembly session.

"The present government in Haryana has failed on all fronts. At the time of assembly polls in 2014, the BJP had made 154 promises. At that time, the people had high hopes from them, but now, when the elections are due in October, their hopes have turned into despair," Hooda told the gathering.

 

"The people are waiting for the polls to oust the corrupt and non-performing government which has failed to fulfil the promises it made," said Hooda.

Those present in the meeting included majority of 17 Congress MLAs loyal to him. They included Geeta Bhukkal, Anand Singh Dangi, Karan Singh Dalal, R S Kadian. Some former legislators and ex-MPs were also present in the meeting.

The former chief minister dismissed the BJP's claims that the party would win more than 75 seats in the 90-member Vidhan Sabha.

"We will not let them cross 15 seats," he asserted.

Hooda also targeted the Khattar government over plights of farmers and state government employees, claiming that these and other sections of the state were fed up with the "misrule" of the BJP government.

He also slammed the ruling outfit over the "deteriorating" law and order situation in the state.

"The public mood is against this government, they will go," he claimed.

Former Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda also called upon the people to oust the BJP government.

"The politics in Haryana has reached a decisive phase," he said.

"During our (Congress') time, Haryana was number one state in all aspects, but it has now fallen behind," he claimed.

The workers' rally held today in the run-up to his mega rally scheduled later this month at Rohtak is seen as a show of strength by the two-time chief minister, whose loyalists have been openly demanding a bigger role for him and changing of state unit chief.