After BJP, rivals in show of strength

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 18

With the BJP having already exhibited its strength through party president Amit Shah’s rally in Jind on February 15, Congress leaders Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Ashok Tanwar and INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala are planning to show their political prowess through rallies.

Since Assembly polls are likely along with the General Election next year, political parties seem to be vying with each other to exhibit their strength and score brownie points over one another.

With their political differences obvious to party workers, former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and state Congress chief Ashok Tanwar have announced their separate programmes.

Despite a fracture in his foot, Hooda will launch his rath yatra from Hodal in Palwal district on February 25. Tanwar will begin his statewide bicycle rally from Kalka on March 5.

Sources close to Hooda have said the former Chief Minister plans to visit all 90 Assembly segments of the state during the rath yatra. “Though doctors have advised me complete rest after getting my foot plastered, the pain people of the state have been suffering for the past more than three years is bigger,” he said.

Tanwar plans to visit all Assembly segments during his bicycle tour. “By reaching out to people in their villages, I will be in a better position to understand their problems and expectations from the next government,” he said.

Leader of Opposition Abhay Singh Chautala will hold a rally in Delhi on March 7 on the Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal issue. “Despite orders of the Supreme Court, the BJP governments at the Centre and in the state are not interested in construction of the canal. By holding a rally in Delhi, we will show the Centre that people of Haryana will not tolerate any more injustice,” he said.