Congress should offer 'unconditional support' to AAP,says Hooda

If the decision had to be taken by him and if the matter was left to him, he would support AAP, says the chief minister

While Congress seemed to be making attempts to extend an olive branch to Aam Aadmi Party to form a government in Delhi, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said his party should offer "unconditional support" to Arvind Kejriwal's party.

Hooda said if the decision had to be taken by him and if the matter was left to him, he would take the decision, "so that the people are benefited".

However, he clarified that this was his personal opinion.

"My personal opinion is that the Congress should unconditionally support them so that they (AAP) can form the government and deliver promises to the people on power, water and other issues," Hooda said.

In a stunning performance AAP decimated the ruling Congress in Delhi polls winning 28 seats of 70 while BJP bagged 31 and Congress 8. Both AAP and BJP do not have majority to form the government on their own and Kejriwal has ruled out giving any support to BJP for the purpose.

On AAP's preparations to contest Haryana assembly polls next year, Hooda said, "Every person has the right and freedom to contest. In democracy, whosoever gets majority forms the government."

To a query that Kejriwal and AAP member Yogendra Yadav were from Haryana and if this could give them advantage in the state, the Chief Minister dismissed it as "hypothetical", and said, "Let them come, then we will see."

Asked about reports that AAP had invited IAS officer Ashok Khemka, who was recently charge-sheeted by his government

for cancellation of mutation of a land deal involving Robert Vadra and DLF, to lead the party in Haryana, he said, "Which party gives charge to which person is their decision."

Hooda said it was difficult to pinpoint any single factor which caused the Congress' poor showing in the four states and said the party would analyse reasons behind this.

Hooda, who had campaigned in Delhi and Rajasthan, said though Congress had left no stone unturned on development, some local issues played their part.

He admitted that "price rise was an issue" which could have had an impact and said the Centre had taken various steps to minimise adverse impact on the common man.