Haryana Congress launches ‘vote bachao’ campaign from Saini’s turf

Following a rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan last week, the Haryana Congress launched its “vote bachao, desh bachao choupal” campaign on Tuesday. The campaign began in Ladwa, Kurukshetra, which is the assembly constituency of Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini.

Hooda was appointed as the Kurukshetra district observer for the campaign by the state unit. (HT Photo)

The party organised a choupal (village meeting) at Mangoli Jatan of Ladwa as part of the month-long drive ending November 25. The programme was chaired by All India Congress Committee (AICC) Haryana in-charge Sanjay Dutt, state Congress president Rao Narender Singh, and Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda.

Hooda was appointed as the Kurukshetra district observer for the campaign by the state unit. Ambala MP Varun Chaudhary will oversee Karnal, while Sonepat MP Satpal Bramchari will oversee Rohtak.

Former Speaker Kuldeep Sharma, Hooda’s bête noire, has been assigned to Palwal, and former Assandh MLA Shamsher Singh Gogi will take charge in Panchkula. Similarly, MPs Jai Prakash and Karavir Baudh have been assigned Jhajjar and Kaithal respectively. AICC member Divyanshu Budhiraja will lead the charge in Ambala.

Party insiders said the high command decided to organise 23 district-wise ‘choupals’ to maintain worker enthusiasm and bring the issue of “vote theft” to the grassroots.

Rao said the party will engage directly with the public to raise questions regarding the “theft of votes, assaults on democracy, and issues concerning the public interest”.

Political observers also see the Ladwa gathering as a response to the BJP’s launch of “save democracy, remove anarchy” foot marches from Rohtak, the home district of former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The march was led by BJP national president Nitin Nabin on Sunday, while Union home minister Shah will lead the charge in Karnal on November 5.

Addressing the Kurukshetra gathering, the Congress leaders claimed that it has become clear to the nation that the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the BJP are working in collusion to influence election results in Haryana and throughout the country.

Hooda said the choupal events will now be taken across the state. “The people of Haryana were, once again, inclined toward change; yet, just a day before the election results, CM Nayab Saini claimed, ‘We have made all the necessary arrangements’—arrangements whose true nature was gradually laid bare before the entire nation,” the Congress lawmaker said.

“Instead of working for Haryana, the CM is busy campaigning in other states. This government has been in power for two and a half years—half its term has already passed and none of the poll promises have been fulfilled,” he alleged.