Congress puts up united face ahead of Ellenabad bypolls

Former Haryana chief minister and leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Congress state president Kumari Selja, along with many MLAs, were present in the meeting to discuss the strategy for Ellenabad bypolls

Haryana Congress unit presented a united face at a workers meeting called by party’s state affairs in-charge Vivek Bansal in Ellenabad on Monday, to discuss the strategy for bypoll scheduled for October 30. Former Haryana chief minister and leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda and party’s state president Kumari Selja, along with many MLAs, were present in the meeting.

The meeting of the Congress on Monday was crucial because only MLAs and other leaders loyal to Hooda had attended his Vipaksh Aapke Smaksh rally in Karnal on Sunday, with leaders from other factions giving the event a miss. The meeting was held to discuss the Ellenabad bypolls. (Ajay Aggarwal/HT PHOTO)

The meeting was crucial because only MLAs and other leaders loyal to Hooda had attended his Vipaksh Aapke Smaksh rally in Karnal on Sunday, with leaders from other factions giving the event a miss. Bansal asked the party workers to focus on grassroot-level campaigns and reach out to every voter in the Ellenabad constituency.

“The BJP government has failed on all fronts. Common man is facing inflation, unemployment and a rise in crime. Everything is on sale in this country,” he added.

Haryana Congress state chief Selja said, “BJP union minister of state’s son and his aides crushed innocent farmers and a journalist in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh. This BJP government wants to crusade every opposition voice. The Haryana government has failed to procure Bajra and paddy and farmers are paying huge prices for their policies. The youths are disgruntled due to paper leak cases,” she added.

Leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the bypoll was necessitated due to Abhay Chautala’s resignation, that was only aimed at gaining political mileage.

“We had brought a no-confidence motion against the BJP-JJP government in the state assembly. Instead of standing against the coalition government, Chautala resigned to help them. He had resigned to get political mileage and everyone knows INLD had always helped BJP,” Hooda added.

Bharat Singh Beniwal did not attend meeting

Former Darba Kalan MLA Bharat Singh Beniwal, who is upset with the party leadership after the party went with BJP rebel Pawan Beniwal instead of him for the Ellenabad bypoll, did not attend the meeting.