Gurugram waterlogging: Hooda blames BJP's 12-year rule for city's decline
Synopsis
Bhupinder Hooda isn't just criticising potholes — he's building a pre-election case that 12 years of BJP rule have undone what Congress built in Gurugram. With sanitation workers on strike, monsoon floods recurring, and a BJP MP unable to defend the city's state, the Millennium City has become a live liability for the ruling party.
Key Takeaways
Former Haryana CM Bhupinder Hooda accused the BJP of 'completely ruining' Gurugram on 26 August .
Hooda cited waterlogging, collapsed sewerage, and garbage accumulation as evidence of 12 years of BJP misgovernance at state and Centre levels.
He warned that monsoon filth is fuelling the spread of diseases among Gurugram residents.
Sanitation workers across Haryana, including Gurugram, are reportedly on strike, with demands being ignored, according to Hooda.
BJP MP Dharambir Singh drew criticism after conceding civic shortcomings while deflecting blame for the city's condition.
Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda on Wednesday, 26 August launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that the party has 'completely ruined' Gurugram — the Millennium City that, he argued, was built into a world-class IT hub under Congress governance. Hooda, who serves as Leader of Opposition in the Haryana assembly, made the remarks in a formal statement amid fresh criticism over the city's recurring waterlogging crisis.
Hooda's Core Allegations
The Congress leader alleged that during the Congress government's tenure, Gurugram was transformed into a 'modern, world-class IT hub,' but has since deteriorated under BJP rule. 'Even a spell of light rain leaves roads, streets, and residential colonies submerged. The sewerage system collapsed entirely, and there is absolutely no sign of any drainage or sanitation infrastructure,' Hooda said.
He pointed to the BJP's 12-year combined hold on both the Haryana state government and the Centre, arguing that the duration was 'enough to establish an entirely new city, yet the BJP has failed to even manage the infrastructure of a city that was already modern and well-established.'
Sanitation Crisis and Disease Risk
Hooda also flagged what he described as a worsening sanitation situation across Gurugram and the broader state. 'Today, heaps of garbage are scattered across Gurugram. Sanitation workers across Haryana, including Gurugram, are protesting, yet the BJP continues to completely ignore their legitimate demands,' he said. He warned that the accumulation of filth during the monsoon season was contributing to the spread of various diseases, with ordinary residents bearing the brunt.
BJP MP's Response Draws Fire
Hooda's statement came in direct response to remarks by BJP MP Dharambir Singh, who, when questioned about the waterlogging and chaos in Gurugram following recent rains, deflected responsibility while conceding that 'all can't be done.' The Congress leader called it 'utterly ridiculous' for a BJP Union Minister to blame the Congress for the city's current state, given the party's uninterrupted tenure at both levels of government.
A Pattern, Critics Say
According to Hooda, waterlogging, traffic jams, and civic hardship after every rain spell have become a 'recurring sight' since the BJP came to power — a stark contrast, he claimed, to conditions during the Congress years. This is not the first time Gurugram's infrastructure has come under political scrutiny; the city's drainage and flooding problems have drawn criticism from residents and urban planners for several monsoon seasons running.
With Haryana's political landscape remaining competitive and assembly elections on the horizon, the BJP's handling of Gurugram's civic infrastructure is likely to remain a flashpoint in the opposition's campaign narrative.
Point of View
But the underlying civic reality gives it traction. Gurugram's waterlogging is not a new complaint — it surfaces every monsoon, and every monsoon the response is the same: blame-shifting and incremental fixes. The BJP's difficulty is structural: 12 years in power is too long to credibly outsource accountability. BJP MP Dharambir Singh's admission that 'all can't be done' is precisely the kind of sound bite that opposition campaigns are built on. The real question is whether Gurugram's urban failures reflect a governance model that has prioritised real-estate-led growth over civic infrastructure — a critique that applies beyond any single party.
NationPress
26 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Bhupinder Hooda say about Gurugram?
Hooda alleged that the BJP has 'completely ruined' Gurugram after 12 years in power at both the state and Centre levels, pointing to recurring waterlogging, a collapsed sewerage system, garbage piles, and striking sanitation workers as evidence of civic decline.
Why is Gurugram experiencing waterlogging?
According to Hooda, Gurugram's drainage and sewerage infrastructure has deteriorated significantly under BJP rule, causing roads, streets, and residential colonies to flood even after light rain. Urban planners and residents have raised similar concerns over multiple monsoon seasons.
What did BJP MP Dharambir Singh say about Gurugram's condition?
BJP MP Dharambir Singh, when asked about the waterlogging and disorder in Gurugram, deflected responsibility and acknowledged that 'all can't be done,' a response that Hooda and the Congress have criticised as inadequate given the party's long tenure in power.
What is the sanitation workers' protest about?
Sanitation workers across Haryana, including Gurugram, are reportedly protesting over unmet demands. Hooda alleged that the BJP government has completely ignored these workers, leaving garbage to accumulate and increasing disease risk during the monsoon season.
How does this fit into Haryana's political context?
With Haryana assembly elections approaching, the Congress is using Gurugram's civic failures as a central campaign issue. Hooda's repeated attacks on BJP's infrastructure record are part of a broader opposition effort to highlight governance gaps after over a decade of BJP rule in the state.
