Bhupinder Singh Hooda: Not behind shifting of Randeep Surjewala to Rajasthan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 1

Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said today that he was not behind the denial of ticket to former state Congress president Kumari Selja and shifting of general secretary Randeep Surjewala to Rajasthan.

“I have no role in it. It is the prerogative of the party president to name the Rajya Sabha candidates,” he said.

He exuded confidence that Congress candidate Ajay Maken would win the polls. “The Congress has the strength to win the election. Thirty one votes are required and we have as many MLAs. One seat will go to the BJP too.”

When asked, if JJP MLAs or Independents were in touch with him, he said, “Why should I talk to them? I don’t have any need.”

On the question of Adampur MLA Kuldeep Bishnoi, Hooda claimed that he would vote for the Congress candidate. When asked about his retweeting a tweet against him, he said, “It was that just 5,000 people attended my rally in Fatehabad. But I think a crowd of 5,000 is enough.”

On the ink controversy of 2016, he clarified that he had told everyone that he had not voted for any candidate. “About others’ vote, I don’t know who changed the pen,” he said. On whether he pushed G-23 leader Ghulam Nabi Azad’s candidature from Haryana, he said, “Azad is a seasoned leader. He never talked to me about the Rajya Sabha nomination. He knew Sonia Gandhi had to take the call.”

On the BJP contesting urban local body polls alone, he said, “Their alliance with the JJP may not survive till the Haryana Legislative Assembly polls in 2024. It is based on selfish interests and not on policies.”

He added, “Two byelections have taken place after the BJP-JJP alliance has come to power. One in Baroda and the other in Ellenabad. The BJP lost both of them. Had there been a right candidate in Ellenabad, the Congress would have won the poll.”

He said the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and JJP had no future.

Up to party chief

I have no role in it. It is the prerogative of the party president to name the Rajya Sabha candidates. — Bhupinder Hooda, ex-CM, Haryana

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