NEW DELHI: Former Haryana chief minister and senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Sunday expressed strong support to the Centre's decision on Article 370 and lashed out at his own party over its stand on the issue, saying that it has "lost its way".

Addressing a rally in Rohtak, Hooda said that he will support the Centre if it does something right, referring to the Modi government's decision to abrogate Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu & Kashmir .

Criticizing Congress for not supporting the move, Hooda said, "Many of my colleagues opposed the decision to abrogate Article 370 ... my party has lost its way, it's not the same Congress it used to be."

The former chief minister added that he never compromises when it comes to patriotism and self respect.

"I was born in a patriotic family, those who oppose (abrogation of Article 370), I want to tell them ' usulon par jahan aanch aaye, vahan takrana zaruri hai, jo zinda hai to zinda dikhna zaruri hai' ," he said.

The two-time CM also took a dig at the Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP government in the state, saying that it must give an account of what all it has done in the past five years and not "hide behind" the Centre's move on Article 370.

Hooda's remarks come amid speculations that he might quit the party and chart an independent political course.

For long, Hooda has been seeking a change in the state leadership but his demand has not been accepted by the Congress top brass.

The rally was seen as a signal by Hooda that he should be projected as the chief ministerial candidate and appointed as state unit chief.

(With inputs from ANI)



In Video: ‘Congress has lost its way’, says Congress leader and former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda