Will support those who will help in Ambala's development: Ex-Union min Venod Sharma

With Haryana going to polls on October 21, former Union Minister Venod Sharma on Sunday said he will extend his support to anyone who helps in Ambala's development that includes setting up of a Industrial Model Township here.

Keeping the cards close to his chest on whether he will enter the poll fray, Sharma said if an IMT is set up here, it will generate thousands of jobs and thus give employment opportunities to the youth here.

"We will oppose those who have acted as stumbling block in Ambala's progress, but we will extend our wholehearted support to those who will help in Ambala's development that includes setting up a IMT here," the former Ambala legislator said, addressing a gathering of his supporters here.

He, however, did not make it clear whether he would contest the upcoming polls.

Sharma, who had floated his own outfit Jen Chetna Party before the 2014 assembly polls after leaving the Congress, accused former Union minister and present Haryana Congress president Kumari Selja, who was the then Ambala MP, of opposing the IMT project here.

The project was shelved by the previous Congress regime after Selja had opposed the project being set up on fertile land.

Sharma said he had been pursuing the project since 2005, and then chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda too had declared setting-up of an IMT in Ambala.

"Even the land acquisition process had started, but Selja opposed setting up of an IMT in Ambala. She even got support from the then central government and the project did not take off. Had the state government at that time prevailed, an IMT would have been set up here like it was in Rohtak. The project would have helped generate thousands of jobs and the area would have become industrially developed," he said.

Sharma said Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had promised to set up an IMT in Ambala.

"I hope he fulfills the promise. The government should give a deadline on when the IMT will be set up," he said.

Sharma said the BJP government in Haryana has scrapped interview system in government jobs and yet there were a few category of posts where it needs to be ended.

He also demanded 75 per cent jobs be reserved for Haryana youths in the industries in the state.

Sharma told his supporters that politics for him has always meant to serve the people and he never hankered or aspired for any positions.

"My becoming an MLA is not important. What is important is the purpose for what I am in politics. If I want to serve myself, I have no right to stay in politics. If I have to serve you, I have to work on issues faced by you and I have tried to do that," he said.