The campaigning for the Baroda bypoll ended on Sunday with political parties making last efforts to woo voters of the rural constituency at public meetings and roadshows.
The Baroda assembly, which fell vacant after the demise of Congress MLA Sri Krishan Hooda, will go to poll on November 3.
The head-to-head contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress is in the offing for the Baroda bypoll. While the BJP has fielded Olympian wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, who lost by about 4,800 votes to Hooda in 2019 assembly election, the Congress has put its money on a newcomer, Indu Raj Narwal, a former member of Sonepat zila parishad.
Hooda takes out roadshows
The last day of the campaign was dominated by leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his Rajya Sabha MP son Deepender Hooda, who took out separate roadshows in the constituency.
Addressing a gathering at Baroda village, Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the actual election will begin after completion of the campaign. “You (workers) should distribute your duties and inform me after seeing any suspected person in your village. The government will make all efforts to woo the voters but you will have to give your duties at night. The voters of Baroda will give a referendum to this arrogant government. This fight is to reach Chandigarh and Baroda voters will form their own government. I want to assure you that no one can snatch the steering wheel from me,” Hooda said.
Deepender Singh Hooda said people are eagerly waiting to oust the BJP-JJP from the Baroda seat and then from Haryana. “The BJP-JJP has dragged the state into unemployment, corruption and crime. The youth are waiting for jobs and farmers are forced to sell their produce below the minimum support price (MSP). The price of tomato has reached the highest in past one decade,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Deepender Singh Hooda said people are eagerly waiting to oust the BJP-JJP from the Baroda seat and then from Haryana. “The BJP-JJP has dragged the state into unemployment, corruption and crime. The youth are waiting for jobs and farmers are forced to sell their produce below the minimum support price (MSP). The price of tomato has reached the highest in past one decade,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Door to door campaign for saffron party
The saffron party’s campaign revolved around party nominee Yogeshwar Dutt, who launched a door to door campaign in the constituency. “ I urge all voters to give me belated birthday blessing on the polling day. I am very confident of winning the election on development issues of the BJP and my personal achievements. I am a wrestler and I have no caste,” he said.
Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar and his deputy Dushyant Chautala did not participate on the last day of campaigning.
Meanwhile, INLD general secretary Abhay Singh Chautala and party supremo OP Chautala also participated in a door to door campaign to support their party candidate on the last day. However, the party nominee Joginder Singh Malik interacted with voters at various villages. The Loktantra Suraksha party chief Raj Kumar Saini addressed village-level meetings.
The election campaign turned ugly at Rabda village of the constituency on Saturday evening as a liquor contractor was killed with sharp-edged weapons after a dispute over distribution by another group. Members of a group also opened fire at rivals resulting in injuries to three persons of the same village.