About his proximity to PM Modi and Shah, Hooda, says, “I am not inimical to anyone, they are fighting for their party and I am fighting for my own party”

Chandigarh: With the Haryana Assembly elections more than a year away, politics has started warming up in Haryana. The political parties and the leaders have started hitting the ground to connect with the masses. While most of the aspiring leaders are still trying to find the pulse of people in their areas, former Chief Minister and leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda exudes confidence that his party is going to win the Assembly elections with a comfortable majority.

In a free-wheeling interview with the Senior Executive Editor Aditya Kant, the four-time MP and the two-time chief minister, plays down the issue of factionalism within the party and even evades a direct response to the queries about his candidature as the chief minister in the eventuality of his party winning the Assembly elections.

Excerpts

AK. Political parties have started warming up to the parliamentary and Assembly elections due in Haryana next year, where do you see Congress right now?

BSH: We are on top of the situation and the mood is upbeat. The party activities and the mass connect movement has already begun through various programmes in the state. The party organised ‘Vipaksh aap ke samaksh’ in Bhiwani last month. Besides, we already have covered eight parliamentary constituencies and the remaining two, Hisar and Rohtak, too would be covered soon. The programmes to connect with the masses like ‘Haath se Haath jodo’ are evoking a good response. The party has been rejuvenated after Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra and his walk from Nuh to Ambala when there was a big gathering of people in Panipat on one of the coldest days early this year. At present, all MLAs and other party leaders are on the ground and making public contact.

AK. What went wrong in the last Assembly elections and what lessons has the party learnt from the past?

BSH: For the 2019 elections, we can’t blame people. They showed their interest in Congress. But there were some mistakes, I won’t say mistakes but omissions from our side, maybe in ticket distribution and canvassing.

AK. Rivals have been taking a dig at Congress for factionalism. You have been facing it in earlier elections too. How is the party dealing with it?

BSH: It’s more in the media than what you see within the party. In politics, everyone is there to carve out a place for himself. There is no harm in doing that. But when the party leadership takes a decision regarding something, everyone accepts it. Everyone follows the directions of the high command and works under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Khargeji.

AK: Has the party made any ground assessment or set a target about the number of seats it’s going to win in the coming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections?

BSH: Our assessment is that the party is going to win with a good majority and we will form the government in the state on our own.

AK: Is the party open to an alliance in case it fails to touch the magic number?

BSH:  I don’t think Congress needs any alliance in Haryana. We are going strong in the state and are going to come to power with a complete majority.

AK: In that eventuality, do you see yourself as the top contender for the chief ministerial post?

BSH: What I see is not relevant. What is important is that there is a procedure that needs to be followed for electing the chief minister. Everyone understands it. Elections will be held, elected MLAs will be there. Then the party will appoint observers. They will ask each and every MLA and give a report to the party high command.

In 2005, I was not even an MLA but the observers took a call. A majority of the MLAs were with me and this is how I was elected.

AK: Does this mean that your son Deepender Hooda who is an MP and was seen in the forefront while successfully organising Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in the state, stands a chance and can also be in the race for the chief minister?

BSH: “Abhi toh main hoon naa”(chuckles). As long as I am there that question doesn’t arise.

AK: But do you see potential in him to be the chief ministerial candidate? What is your assessment of him?

BSH: Deepender is hardworking and dead honest. I can’t predict his future. When Haryana was carved out of Punjab, my father was amongst the top contenders for the chief ministership being Indira Gandhi’s favourite. But Morarji Desai wanted Bhagwat Dayal to be the chief minister. Ultimately, Gulzari Lal Nanda was given the task to decide on a neutral choice and this is how Bansi Lal became the chief minister. Similarly, Manohar Lal Khattar’s is another example, which left many surprised.

AK: Your rivals claim that due to factionalism and differences, Congress has not been able to hold even the organisational elections in the state well in time. Whereas the BJP is more organised and has even appointed panna pramukhs at the grassroots level.  Will it not affect the party’s prospects?

BSH: That’s not true. We have held elections. We have elected AICC members and PCC members. Rajasthan, which goes to the polls later this year, too recently held this exercise. The party has appointed representatives at the state level. we will soon have all these office-bearers at the district level too. That’s not a big issue.

AK: What according to you are the key issues on which the Congress plans to go to the masses and where do you think the Khattar-led BJP government failed to perform?

BSH: The present BJP government has been a total failure and a non-performing government. In 2014, our state was number one in per capita income and per capita investment in the country. Then Haryana was number one in issuing employment and also law and order situation was number one. But now Haryana is number 1 in unemployment and ‘mahangai” (inflation). In crime, too it’s among the top three or four states. Corruption is at every level. Every section of society is annoyed with the government, whether it’s farmers, SC, ST and backward castes, traders, government employees, religious bodies, or students. It looks like there is no government. During floods, people’s houses were washed away, crops were lost, and industrialists and businessmen suffered big losses in Ambala and other places, but there is no visibility of the government.

AK: You have been the chief minister for two terms, what advice would you like to give Mr. Khattar with regard to governance?

BSH: Be sensitive to the needs of farmers, poor people, shopkeepers, and industrialists. In Ambala, in one industrial unit, crores of rupees have been lost in the recent floods. Helping such people should be the priority of the government.

AK: The Congress-dominated UPA has now done a makeover and is all set to pose a challenge to the BJP-led NDA in the coming elections with a new acronym I.N.D.I.A. How do you look at it?

BSH: That’s a good start. In a democracy, both the ruling and the opposition should be strong. That’s a healthy sign of democracy and the coming together of more parties with the Opposition will help strengthen our democratic system.

AK. But there was a breakaway in Maharashtra in NCP with Ajit Pawar and his loyalists joining the NDA. How do you look at it and the situation unfolding thus in the long run?

BSH: It’s not going to help the BJP. Rather it’s going to harm the party in the coming times. You see, whoever does it (organises splits in political parties) has to face it sooner or later. People don’t appreciate such politics. That much I can tell you from my experience. BJP is going to face massive losses in Maharashtra elections.

AK: Your rivals within the party too claim that while targeting BJP, you are soft on the Centre because you have a friendly equation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah?

BSH: I am not inimical to anyone. They are fighting for their own party and I am fighting for my own. But beyond that, we all have our individuality.

AK: Your supporters keep sending the feelers that in the eventuality of you not being elected as the chief minister if the Congress comes to power in Haryana, they may consider the option of having an alliance with the BJP in the state. What would you say?

BSH: You are talking about an alliance for the chief ministership? Woh khitaab toh mujhe 18 saal pehle he mil gaya thaa. (I got that honour 18 years ago). Now I want Congress to come back. Being a chief minister is not the only consideration. We are doing our best to make Congress win elections.

AK: What major difference do you see in today’s politics and when you began over four decades ago.?

BSH: See, there have been so many social changes in the last 70 years. Politics too has witnessed changes. In those times daughters-in-law used to be scared of their mothers-in-law or sons used to be fearful of their fathers. But in the last seven decades now equations have turned around. From my experience, I can tell you. I studied in Sainik School and my teachers used to make me stand on a bench and we often got beatings from our teachers. This was a common practice and none of us or our parents took offense to it. But nowadays, teachers are scared of students.

The same is true for politics. Earlier, there used to be goodwill across the party lines. People still remember Pandit Nehru’s advice to Madhu Limaye, who was a good orator when he came to the parliament for the first time after being elected as MP. There used to be bonhomie amongst the elected representatives across party lines. But one longer sees that spirit now.