india

Updated: Aug 19, 2019 09:28 IST

Two-time Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda attacked the Congress on Sunday over its stand on the nullification of Article 370 and declared himself as the chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming state elections “with or without” his party.

At a mega rally in his hometown Rohtak, Hooda also announced a 25-member committee, comprising 12 of the Congress’s 17 state legislators and 13 other leaders, to deliberate on his next move.

“I have come here after freeing myself from all restrictions,” he announced, but stopped short of outright rebellion or announcing his own political outfit.

He lashed out at the Congress over its opposition of the government’s decision to revoke Article 370, which accorded special status to Jammu & Kashmir, and said, as a leader, he never compromised on patriotism. “When the government does something right, I support it. My party has lost its way, it is not the same Congress it used to be,” he added.

The Jat strongman has a tense relationship with the state Congress brass and has, in the past, demanded a greater role for himself and son, former MP Deepinder Hooda, in party affairs and candidate selection.

But both father and son lost the Lok Sabha election and face a stiff battle against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which swept the state in the general elections and is looking for a second term in the assembly elections, scheduled for October-November.

A day before, state Congress chief Ashok Tanwar had dismissed speculation about Hooda’s rebellion. “The Congress is one, will remain one and will win the assembly polls,” he had told news agency ANI.

At Sunday’s rally, Hooda also criticised chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, saying the state had slipped on income generation, employment and fighting crime. “I want to tell the Haryana government that you will have to give an account of what you did in your tenure, don’t hide behind the Article 370 decision.”

He announced a list of future plans if he was voted to power. His so-called manifesto included the re-implementation of an old pension scheme, free bus travel for women, a complete farm loan waiver, 75% reservation in jobs for Haryana local residents in the private sector, a fixed monthly income of ~2,000 for poor women and free electricity for below-poverty-line families up to 300 units.

He also announced that he would induct four deputy chief ministers in his cabinet if voted to power, one each from the Dalit, Brahmin and backward class communities, and one from the rest. The rally came a day after Hooda had a closed-door meeting with top Congress leaders in New Delhi.

In the October 2014 polls, the BJP improved its 2009 tally of four to 47, followed by the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) with 19 legislators and the Congress with 15 seats. The main opposition party, the INLD, is in disarray with a number of legislators deserting the regional outfit in recent months because of infighting, leaving the party with just six lawmakers in the 90-member assembly. While Tanwar did not respond despite repeated phone calls, a Congress leader requesting anonymity said Tanwar has been briefed about the rallies conducted by Hooda and Khattar. “The high command will take a final call on the announcements made by Hooda in today’s rally,” he added.