Haryana Assembly Polls 2024: Congress has become 'Hooda Congress', says Ravi Shankar Prasad

Chandigarh: Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday said the people of Haryana have to make a choice between the BJP's development-oriented ten years versus scams and corruption which prevailed during the previous Congress dispensation.

Prasad, who was speaking to reporters in Rohtak, also made a sharp attack on the Congress on various fronts.

Referring to the Congress' Haryana unit, he said, "Here Congress has become Hooda Congress. Even Rahul Gandhi has to come here with permission. I am told he (Gandhi) had some desire for an alliance (with AAP), but Hooda refused so it did not happen."

"I was surprised to see Congress' 'Hoodakaran' here," he added.

The former Union minister said two narratives are clear in the Haryana polls.

These are BJP government's ten years versus Hooda government's ten years. The people of Haryana have to decide which ten years they have to follow, he said.

"I have heard about 'kharchi and parchi' (favouritism and corruption) system which was prevalent during the Congress government's time in Haryana while jobs were given purely on merit under the BJP rule," Prasad said.

"I have been the IT and Communications Minister. Gurugram has become a big IT hub, it has biggest backend offices," he added.

The senior BJP leader further said industrial unrest prevailed in Gurugram during Hooda's time.

"Be it IT, automobile manufacturing, Haryana has moved ahead and is generating large employment. Gurugram also has two models -- one is IT expansion, one is technological advancement, to take Haryana to new heights in startups," he said.

Escalating his attack, Prasad said that during the Congress' time, their model for Gurugram was "damad shri model".

The Congress' model in Haryana, when they were in power, was "land deal and damad shri model", he added.

The BJP is eyeing a third consecutive term in the state.

Haryana goes to polls on October 5 and the results will be declared on October 8.

Assembly Elections 2024 | In the first assembly polls since the Lok Sabha elections, Narendra Modi and the BJP face a rejuvenated and vindicated Opposition in the Haryana assembly polls. Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir is voting after almost a decade and it remains to be seen how the abrogation of Article 370 has impacted the political landscape of the Valley. Track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.