Selja, Hooda call upon workers to make collective efforts to oust BJP from power in Haryana

Haryana Congress president Kumari Selja and former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Tuesday called upon party workers to make collective efforts to oust the BJP from power in the upcoming state elections.

Addressing a workers' meeting at Congress Bhawan here, the two leaders said the party workers should work hard unitedly towards ensuring Congress' victory. A large number of supporters of former INLD state unit chief Ashok Arora, who joined the Congress recently, participated in the meeting.

Both Selja and Leader of Opposition in the Haryana Assembly Hooda said Arora's joining has strengthened the Congress and infused enthusiasm among party workers throughout the state.

Hooda, who is also the Congress Legislature Party leader, said all sections of the society, including farmers, traders, youths and workers, are "disenchanted" with the ruling BJP as it "has pushed them to financial ruin".

"The country had faced economic slowdown in 2008 too during the Congress-led UPA rule, but the then government led by Manmohan Singh had ensured that it did not affect the masses," he said.

"However, the present central government has failed to tackle the situation," Hooda claimed, adding it is for the first time that several agriculture inputs have been taxed while the government has "failed" to provide adequate support price to farmers for their produce.

He said the law-and-order situation in Haryana is bad, but the chief minister is on a 'yatra' to get 'jan ashirwad' (people's blessing).

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar recently undertook a fortnight-long 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra' covering all 90 Assembly segments ahead of the upcoming state elections.

Hooda said, "In fact, he should have undertaken the 'yatra' to express repentance for his misgovernance, which has caused hardship to the masses."