Tea diplomacy reigns as Asha Hooda reaches out to non-Jats

Ravinder Saini

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Tribune News Service

Jhajjar, April 15

In view of the possibility of a close contest this time, former Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda’s wife Asha Hooda is reaching out to ‘disgruntled’ prominent persons in the Rohtak parliamentary constituency from where her son and sitting MP Deepender Hooda is seeking re-election for the fourth time on the Congress ticket.

Sources said she had visited the residence of more than 200 such people in the constituency during the past month in order to gain their support.

The sources maintain that the focus is on the non-Jat communities as the caste equation is likely to play a big role in the upcoming election following the arson and violence witnessed during the Jat reservation stir in February 2016. Rohtak and Jhajjar district, which are parts of the Rohtak parliamentary constituency, were the worst affected by communal riots at that time.

“Gatherings over tea are being organised on a daily basis at the residences of persons miffed with the party. Asha Hooda is trying to appease these voters,”said a source.