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Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Congress’ Bhupinder Singh Hooda scripting chief ministerial dream in his first LS poll since 2004
Cold-shouldered by the party high command and troubled by a series of corruption cases against him, Bhupinder Singh Hooda. the former chief minister, is desperately looking for a revival of fortune before the bell rings for the 2019 assembly elections. He has been fielded by the Congress from the Sonepat LS seat.
Nothing succeeds like success. No one knows it better than former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda who ruled the state for close to a decade. Hooda was a four-time MP from Rohtak when he was handpicked by the Congress high command in 2005 to head the state government after the party won a comprehensive victory in the assembly elections. Fielded by the party in this Lok Sabha election from the adjoining Sonepat Lok Sabha constituency, the former chief minister is trying to script a similar plot this time.
Cold-shouldered by the party high command and troubled by a series of corruption cases against him, the former chief minister is desperately looking for a revival of fortune before the bell rings for the 2019 assembly elections. “This is not Bhupinder Singh Hooda at your doorstep. This is the next government of Haryana and its chief minister,’’ his close aide, Virender, announces his arrival at Radhana village in Jind district. Virender’s job is to keep at the microphone, indulge in a bit of rustic banter, and make periodic announcements as the cavalcade of vehicles enter a village. “People remember what you did for the welfare of the state as the chief minister. They want to see you again as chief minister. Now he will briefly tell us what he will do for the people when he comes back to power,’’ he announces, seated behind Hooda in a bus converted into an election rath. That’s what lies at the heart of the former chief minister’s poll campaign. It’s not about winning the Sonepat Parliamentary seat; it’s much beyond.
“We will waive farmer’s loans, increase the old-age pension to ₹3,000 a month, give ₹72,000 annually under the NYAY scheme. The BJP government has hoodwinked people. It appointed well-educated youngsters as fourth class employees. This not only humiliated them but also hampered the prospects of those with lower qualifications,” says the former chief minister at Bishanpura village. With a sewed-up chin secured under a surgical mask (he tripped and sustained a cut on the chin, requiring stitches), the former chief minister looks subdued moments before the bus stops at Ramrai village.
His transformation, however, is quick. An excited group of villagers run towards the bus to garland and shake hands with him. The crowd looks frenzied to get a selfie clicked with him. Too many hands emerge, he gets mobbed but does not get flustered. He obliges everyone with a handshake, a wave of hand and a garland hurled back. En route an aide tells him to pay attention towards a group of bystanders and Hooda acknowledges them with folded hands. “Aaj to meri hazari laga lo .I will come and sit down with you after the polls. Those who got ₹15 lakh, as promised by the BJP before 2014 elections, should definitely vote for the BJP. But those who did not get the amount should vote for us,” he announces to loud cheers at Kinana.
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A roti roll is handed over to him with chilled salted lassi. The music in the background is loud, and striking a conversation looks a difficult task. “Let’s eat first. Then we can talk,’’ he says. “For five years, the BJP government in Haryana and at the Centre did not fulfil any promise. Farmers are distressed, the poor have nothing to cheer about, the economy is in shambles. Because the BJP has nothing to show in terms of their achievements, they are whipping up hysteria by taking credit for the accomplishments of the defence forces. It is a sad state of affairs,” says Hooda.
At Bishanpura, he is introduced to party workers by a local party functionary travelling along. He gets down at Biroli village to express condolences to a family which lost a member recently. “What has the BJP government done for you? When I was the chief minister, we allotted 3.82 lakh residential 100-square yard plots to below the poverty line (BPL) families, 10 lakh water connections and 200 litre water storage tanks each. You know very well what we did for you,” says Hooda at Bibipur village.
Has the corruption cases against him affected his standing?. “Look at the fate of the SN Dhingra Commission. The high court has set aside its report. The BJP acted in a vindictive manner. We have not committed any irregularity. People know the truth. All the cases registered against me are baseless and will fall flat,” he says, dismissing the allegations. On the probable caste polarisation, the former CM says: “There is no polarisation. Policies are framed for the benefit of each section of the society. But since the BJP has nothing to show in its report card, they are resorting to such tactics.”
The bus navigates through the rugged village terrain, throwing his aides off balance every now and then. In between, supporters murmur something in his ears. Hooda listens attentively, often nodding in affirmative and being dismissive at times. Running five hours behind schedule, Hooda looks a little fatigued. He tries to catch a wink for a few seconds only to be woken up again by the deafening noise of the loudspeakers and the revved up engine. He turns to a helper and asks for throat lozenges. One villager at Ramrai tells him that he has been waiting for him for the last four hours. “I know all of you are sweating in this heat. I assure you that your sweat will not go waste. It will change the course of politics in the state,” he tells him.
Milk glasses and juice packs make way through the window of the bus as Hooda prepares to get down at Bibipur. He gets mobbed as soon as he disembarks. The security personnel cordon him and make him climb an open truck. “I have been serving the people of Jind in an indirect manner. However, this time I want to be at your service as your nominee,” he concludes his address. It’s now Virender’s turn to take control of the microphone: “Bhai, ek desi ghee ka naara laga do..,’’ he announces. Hooda too settles down, contentment writ large over his face.
