Buoyed over by its win in the recently held Assembly election in Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, the Congress party has stepped up its efforts to pose a challenge to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in Haryana.
Ahead of the Haryana Assembly and parliamentary elections due in 2024, the Congress, the main Opposition party in the State, has started reaching out to people through different campaigns and ‘guarantees’ in a bid to take the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-Jannayak Janata Party alliance head-on.
On the lines of Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka, the party is all set to try its luck surrounding issues such as the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for government employees. Besides, it is betting its fortune on ‘freebies’ in an attempt to garner support ahead of the election.
Poll promises
The party leaders, during their public interactions and rallies across the State, are promising to give free electricity up to 300 units per month to all households. On the lines of Rajasthan, a cooking gas cylinder will be given for ₹500. Also, they have extended a promise to fill around 2 lakh vacant government jobs.
An amount of ₹6,000 per month pension to the elderly, and restarting the scheme of giving plots of 100 yards each to poor families, are other guarantees in the Congress’s list.
Even though the absence of block or district-level committees has been a matter of concern for the Congress for several years now, the party leaders and its workers are going to the people with their poll guarantees seeking votes, besides raking issues like unemployment, inflation, corruption, and deteriorating law and order against the ruling State government.
Upswinging the tempo
From the Hath Se Hath Jodo campaign of the party to Vipaksh Aapke Samaksh, the party is making an attempt to ensure that it continues with its winning streak.
In no mood to waste time, the party has set the ball rolling by upswinging the tempo of its political activities across the State by consistently holding public rallies and interactions.
Senior party leader Kuldeep Sharma said that the morale of the Congress members was upbeat after the win in Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls.
“The Congress is the principal and the only Opposition party in Haryana. And given the anti-incumbency against the ruling BJP-JJP government, the natural focus of change in the minds of voters is the Congress party. Also, we have seen that wherever the regional leadership has been strong, the Congress has performed well,” he said.
“In Haryana we have a strong leadership under former Chief Minister and at present the Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda, and I am sure everyone will stand united in the interest of the party,” said Mr. Sharma.
“Also, we have seen that wherever the regional leadership has been strong, the Congress has performed well”Kuldeep SharmaSenior party leader