Hooda sticks to local issues, pits his government's record against Lal's

Narnaund/Tohana/Ratia: Former Congress chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda spearheads his party's campaign with confidence and is not shattered by BJP's blitzkrieg or projected confidence of victory in the Haryana assembly elections.

As he embarked on a whirlwind campaign across many constituencies in Rohtak, Hisar and Fatehabad by road and helicopter on Tuesday, he was received with much fanfare by Congress supporters who projected him as ‘a chief minister on a comeback trail.’ On his part, Hooda plays the ‘general’ leading the Congress fight back against heavy odds.

A euphoric welcome awaits Hooda when he lands at Kheri Chopra village of Jat-dominated Narnaund seat, represented by senior BJP minister Captain Abhimanyu. “ Haryana ka naya mukhya mantri kaise ho, Bhupinder Hooda jaise ho,” chants his supporters as he takes the mike. Hooda focusses almost entirely on bread and butter issues, compares what his government had done in 10 years and “how the Manohar Lal regime failed on all fronts.” He tactically avoids the BJP campaign on Articles 370, bifurcation of J&K or Pakistan-bashing.

“In the last five years, the BJP government promised the moon and has made Haryana the No.1 state on unemployment, agricultural crisis and lawlessness...,” Hooda tells a cheering crowd.

On his way to Tohana — where BJP state president Subhash Barala is the MLA contesting against former Congress minister Paramveer Singh — ET asks him about the possible impact of J&K decision in this poll. “This is an election about how to revive Haryana and BJP is harping on Article 370 only to divert focus from incumbency burden...,” he said.

At Tohana, Hooda reels out Congress promises. “Within 24 hours, we will write off farmers’ loans, will reduce electricity price by half and provide jobs for youth and monthly allowance for jobless.”

As he hops to the reserved constituency of Ratia to campaign for Sardar Jarnail Singh against INLD MLA, ET broaches on the change of guard in the state Congress and ex-chief Ashok Tanwar. “It's true the required change came rather late but it is better late than never.”

On INLD factions, he said, “INLD has become irrelevant and it is a straight fight between Congress and BJP.”

As Hooda reaches the makeshift helipad, the jostling crowd cries, “Chowdhury Bhupinder Singh Hooda zindabad.” The helicopter ascends and the Congress veteran waves at supporters enveloped in dust, which symbolises the nature of these polls.