Bhupinder Singh Hooda interview | ‘Congress is competent to fight polls on its own in Haryana’

The Congress has done well in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections compared with the previous two elections, but many believed it could have done better. Are there any lessons to be learnt?

I am satisfied with our performance in the Lok Sabha election because the INDIA bloc vote share was the highest in Haryana among all other States — 47.62%. The jump in the vote share was also the highest, from around 28% to 47.62%, that is, a jump of 20%, and in each of the 90 Assembly constituencies in the State, the Congress’ vote share has gone up, and the BJP’s has declined.

In case the Congress comes to power in Haryana, what would be your top priority?

Tackling unemployment is to be our first priority as Haryana is at the top of the table of the bigger States with [respect to] unemployment rates. In the last 10 years, the BJP government in the State has ended two lakh permanent jobs, and through the Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam Limited, only created contractual employment. We will restore the two lakh pucca jobs. Secondly, we are also looking at increasing employment opportunities. When we left government, Haryana was number one in per capita income, per capita investment, law and order, and sports. Now we are number one in crime, price rise, low investment, and in lack of jobs. In 2004, too, when we came to power, we faced similar challenges, but our government was strict on law and order, and attracted investment, which is why 70% of Japan’s investment in India was in Haryana, a feat we will match if elected again.

Do you think Congress should declare a chief ministerial face in the Haryana Assembly elections?

Everyone knows that there is a procedure in the party — where MLAs are elected, they are asked for their choice, and the party decides. Of course, there is a perception that is created via the process, of candidate selection, ticket distribution, etc.

Factionalism has been a big problem for the Haryana Congress. Senior leaders, including Kiran Chaudhary and her daughter and former MP Shruti, quit to join the BJP.

Do you know how many have joined the (Congress) party? 42 ex-MLAs and MPs, and you are discussing two people who have left? All of this talk is a media creation. There is bound to be a difference within a party or even a newspaper like yours. What my point is that while there could be a difference of opinion, there is no difference in terms of hearts — whoever got the ticket from the party, everyone pitched in to help, and the same will happen in the Assembly polls.

The BJP government in the State recently hiked the creamy layer ceiling for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) from an annual income of ₹6 lakh to ₹8 lakh, and introduced a 5% quota for the OBC-B category in Panchayati Raj institutions and municipalities. It’s a very obvious move to make the election a Jats versus non-Jats binary. How will you counter this move?

There is no such binary. The creamy layer limit was ₹8 lakh during our time; the BJP reduced it to ₹6 lakh and now claim that they have done something new in raising it again to ₹8 lakh after six-seven years. No one in Haryana believes in the BJP anymore. The BJP thought that by changing the CM, they can combat anti-incumbency, but people are clear that they will be changing the government itself in the polls.

Do you think Congress’ opposition to Agniveer and support to the farmers’ protests would help in the Assembly elections?

Forget electoral benefit, look at the future of the youth. What kind of decision is this that a boy gets recruited at 18 but is out of a job at 22, that too without pension, health benefits or a long career? In Haryana, every year, at least 5,000 people used to be recruited in the armed forces. After Agniveer, the number is less than 300. The population of Haryana is only 2% compared to the rest of the country but every 10th soldier in the country is from Haryana. I’m from a Sainik School and currently there are at least 29 Generals in the Indian Army from my school, [and] none of them are in favour [of the scheme]. You can’t compromise with the defence of the country to cut down pension bills.

Do you think the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) will be as effective as they were in the last election in cutting into Congress’ votes?

The government wasn’t formed because of the JJP. The BJP was talking about crossing 75 seats and they (the JJP) was asking people to push them across the Yamuna. But when the results came out, the two got together. It was not a coalition about ideology. After the government was formed, the two parties had talked about a common minimum programme but no meeting ever took place. So, people felt cheated and taught them a lesson. In the Lok Sabha polls, the contest was between the Congress and the BJP, winning five seats each. The JJP, which was in government for four-and-a-half years and had a Deputy Chief Minister, did not get even 1% vote. There will be no vote for vote cutters.

The legal guarantee for minimum support price can be given only by the Centre. But will Congress consider some measure to make procurement price a legal right in Haryana?

Yes, only the Centre can declare MSP. But this time, the Opposition and (Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi are quite strong, and we will exert pressure on the Centre to make MSP a legal right. In the State, we will find ways to ensure that a farmer’s costs are reduced and his income increases. We will compensate by offering bonus to the farmers.

What is your view on the Supreme Court order, allowing States to sub-categorise Scheduled Castes (SC)?

We are against the observation on the ‘creamy layer’ for SCs. However, we will need to study the judgment in more detail to take an informed position on sub-categorisation.

Will you extend your alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the Lok Sabha election to the Assembly election as well?

So far, there has been no talk in this regard. We have a national alliance but at the State level, we don’t have an alliance with any party. The Congress itself is very competent to fight the elections.