BJP fielding other parties to cut votes of Congress, says Hooda

Rohtak (Haryana), Sep 16 (IANS) The Haryana Assembly elections are a straight contest between the Congress and the BJP but other parties have been fielded only to cut votes of the former, party leader and two-time Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda said here on Monday.  

"All parties like the INLD, the JJP, and the HLP have been fielded only to cut the votes of the Congress. The BJP has also given this responsibility to many Independents. The public needs to be cautious of such candidates," he told the media after inducting former BJP legislator from Beri, Om Prakash Kadian, and his son, Vikram Kadian, into the party.

Vikram Kadian has contested elections from Beri twice on the BJP ticket.

BJP Mahila Morcha's state general secretary Gayatri Devi also joined the Congress, along with many leaders.

Hooda, who is the Leader of the Opposition, welcomed them and assured them that they would be given full respect in the party.

Responding to a media query about party MP Kumari Selja, Hooda said: "She is our sister and a respected leader of the Congress party. If any Congress leader or worker makes a wrong comment about her, they have nothing to do with the Congress."

"This is only a part of political propaganda, and people are not going to get divided on the basis of caste. All communities are going to unite and form the Congress government."

On the question of the BJP supporting Haryana Lokhit Party candidate Gopal Kanda from Sirsa, Hooda said the people of the state already knew this.

"The INLD-HLP's earlier indirect alliance with the BJP has now become public," he said.

Hooda said the BJP "is spreading propaganda about ending reservation, whereas the BJP ended reservation in the recruitments of Kaushal Nigam in Haryana".

Speaking on the occasion, BJP rebel Vikram Kadian said: "The BJP neither knows how to respect the public, nor its leaders and workers. By giving a ticket to an outsider candidate in Beri, it has insulted its own workers."

Gayatri Devi said she worked hard with dedication in the BJP for 14 years, but in Hansi, the party gave a ticket to a tainted leader. “Due to this, every worker of the party is disappointed. In the state, the interests of all 36 communities and every class are protected only in the Congress,” she said.

Haryana will go to the polls for the 90-member Assembly on October 5.