COURTESY HT OCT 22

HOODA HINTS AT HANDING OVER REIGNS OF PARTY TO NEXT GEN
Sunil Rahar

sunil.kumar3@htlive.com

Rohtak : Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Wednesday hinted at bringing the next generation to lead the Congress during the next assembly elections.

Speaking to a packed crowd during a workers’ meeting at Gohana, Hooda said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ministers are claiming that in the next elections, the Congress will seek votes in the name of Hooda but hand the steering wheel to other leaders.

“I want to tell them that no one can snatch the steering wheel from me. I am not an arrogant man but I am making such claims on your (public’s) behalf,” said the former chief minister.

He further said that the Baroda bypoll may be his last election as he is getting old and wants the next generation to take the lead.

“You have blessed me several times. This time, I urge you to forfeit the security deposit of the BJP candidate (Yogeshwar Dutt). Our candidate Indu Raj hails from a poor family and the Haryana chief minister asks who knows the Congress candidate. CM sahib, no one knew you when you were elevated to the power,” Hooda said.

EC’s distancing norms go for a toss at meeting

Nearly three thousand people visited the meeting, in open violation of the election commission’s 200-people limit on gatherings, set in view of the Covid-19 outbreak. Most of them were not even wearing face masks.

The ruling BJP government too violates the rules by organising such large gatherings. Avnish Yadav, poll observer, could not be reached for comments.