The Congress in Haryana is going through a crisis. The party’s mass leader and former chief minister Bhupender Singh Hooda has announced a war against the party’s high command. However, party’s State unit chief Ashok Tanwar, feels that the political situation in the State is in favour of the Congress. He told BusinessLine in an interview that unemployment, particularly in the automobile sector, and the farming distress have made the BJP unpopular. Excerpts:

What will the be main plank of the Congress in the upcoming Assembly elections?

People are fed up with the lies, misdeeds, corruption and divisive politics of the BJP. The issues which were considered important during the Lok Sabha elections are now dying. The real issues of the people are now at the forefront. We will fight elections based on these real issues of the people. The automatic choice of the people is going to be the Congress.

Farmers’ distress will be the main issue, followed by a high rate of unemployment. We are witnessing job losses, adn the weaker sections of the people are under distress. Unemployment is high in automobile, textile and real estate sectors, which are the core sectors of the State.

The BJP is unable to show any sector which is flourishing. They are not able to show any growth, but have promised a five-trillion dollar economy. It is a distant dream and that dream will be a reality only if there is a Congress government led by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi at the Centre and at maximum number in States.

Corruption is rampant in Haryana in fields such as mining and real estate. The drug mafia is very active. Law and order is completely out of control. A weak and inexperience leadership without any vision has made Haryana the a worst performing State.

Who is your answer to Manohar Lal Khattar? Will you announce a Chief Ministerial candidate?

Congress is the alternative, not individuals. We will seek votes based on our ideology, policies and programme. Did BJP announce Khattar as Chief Minister candidate in the last elections? No.

They gave responsibility to someone whom they thought fit. But that fit person according to their wisdom was a misfit to Haryana. Now the misfit has to be ousted so that the health of the State is improved.

The State has gone backwards under the BJP and the quality of works taken up by the government has suffered because of corruption.

How will the Congress match the resources of the BJP?

The Congress is very strong. We have presence in every nook and corner of the State. The only thing is that we have to give priority to the party and the people’s issues. We should leave our egos behind and ensure that people get their due share of development, which will be inclusive, secular and without any caste bias.

But former chief minister Bhupender Hooda is openly against the Congress leadership…

This is unfortunate. Party made leaders over a period of few decades. When it comes to paying back to the party and the society, they start talking about their own stand on issues. When you are in a national party, it is the party’s stand that matters the most. Before speaking anything on public forum, they must think 100 times and stick to the position of the party. It is the collective wisdom and experience of the party that helps the leadership to reach in a decision.

Isn’t his stand a clear violation of the party’s discipline?

The top leadership has to determine that. Everybody must behave as disciplined soldiers. If we have any doubts on the stand, then we won’t be able to communicate it to the people.

Is Hooda under the influence of the BJP? He was also linked to the land deals of Robert Vadra, son-in-law Sonia Gandhi…

The BJP is using investigating agencies to malign the image of the party leaders. There is no truth in Robert Vadra’s case. The BJP was in power for five years. Nothing has come out yet. The government has nothing to do with a deal which is between two private individuals. The government decides which agency should be used first against political opponents. People know the truth.

We have come clean in 2G issues, along with many other issues. When the legal process is completed, our leaders will emerge as clean people. Till then, our fight will continue.

These issues are raised just ahead of the elections. When elections are over, they will find other issues till next cycle of elections start. The BJP will try to divide the society. They have demolished Ravidas temple in Delhi with that motto. On one hand, they say they will build a temple in Ayodhya. On the other hand they erase temples to create divisions in the society.

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