Congress can back JJP nominee in RS byelection, says Hooda

Chandigarh, July 6

On the Rajya Sabha bypoll, former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda today said that the Congress could agree on Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) candidate if JJP contests. Hooda was talking to mediapersons today.

He was questioned on former Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala’s recent tweet where he alleged that the people of Haryana wanted to see BJP’s defeat but the Leader of Opposition didn’t want to contest with the backing of the saffron party.

Hooda replied, “I have been saying to him (Dushyant Chautala) to bring all his 10 MLAs. We will give a candidate. The Opposition needs numbers. Only then, we can put up a candidate.”

“If I put up a candidate and Dushyant Chautala doesn’t have the support of all his 10 MLAs, then the Congress would lose…Let him fight the Rajya Sabha election or he could ask his brother (Digvijay Chautala) to contest. Become a candidate and seek support from us,” he said.

In a follow-up question, when he was asked whether Congress would agree on Digvijay Chautala, Hooda said, “It might be possible. We will not vote for the BJP. But at least they should contest.”

Dushyant Chautala had on July 4 posted on X, “On the one hand, Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Hooda says that the Haryana Government does not have the majority and, on the other hand, he refuses to contest the Rajya Sabha byelection saying that the Opposition does not have the numbers. How can both these things be true because both things are contradictory? The people of Haryana want to see the BJP losing the Rajya Sabha byelection, but Bhupinder Hooda does not want to contest the election at the behest of the BJP…”

Dushyant added, “We want the Congress to play the role of the main Opposition party and field a socially and universally respected person in the Rajya Sabha elections so that the people of Haryana also know which MLA is with the people and which MLA is with the government…”

Applications sought for ticket

In 2019, the ticket distribution was not correct. We couldn’t come to power. This time, we have sought applications. A survey will be conducted. The winnable people will be given ticket. — Bhupinder Singh Hooda, ex-CM