Hooda Accuses BJP of Electoral Manipulation in Rajya Sabha Polls
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Chandigarh, March 27 (NationPress) Bhupinder Hooda, the former Chief Minister of Haryana and current Leader of the Opposition, announced on Friday that the Congress party will lodge a complaint with the Election Commission regarding the Returning Officer accused of manipulating the recent Rajya Sabha elections by invalidating four of the party's votes.
He urged the Election Commission to take swift action concerning this issue.
In a press briefing, Hooda stated that the Rajya Sabha elections have once again demonstrated that the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) will never stand against the BJP.
“The INLD refrained from voting this time, fully aware that a Congress victory was inevitable. Despite the vote cancellations and instances of cross-voting, Congress secured 28 votes while the BJP-supported Independent candidate garnered only 16 votes,” he remarked.
The Congress leader emphasized that even if the INLD had supported an Independent candidate, Congress would still have triumphed.
Addressing concerns over the scarcity of LPG, petrol, and diesel in the nation, Hooda criticized the BJP government for imposing significantly higher taxes on these fuels compared to the Congress administration over the years.
“Currently, the excise duty is being adjusted in a manner that offers no relief to the public, resulting in continuously rising fuel prices,” he added.
Questioning the government's claims of no LPG shortage, Hooda asked, “If there is no shortage, why are there long lines of people everywhere?”
He attributed the cooking gas shortage in Haryana to the inefficiencies of the BJP government, which has not provided clarity on the situation.
Moreover, Hooda pointed out that law and order has deteriorated significantly in the state under BJP rule, making Haryana the most unsafe state in the country, as indicated by the Central Government's own Social Progress Index.
Referring to the Rs 590 crore scam involving IDFC Bank and the Rs 160 crore scam linked with the Panchkula Municipal Corporation, he questioned, “Who is accountable for these scams, and under whose authority did they occur?”
Hooda demanded a comprehensive investigation, the identification of those responsible, and appropriate punitive actions against them.
Highlighting the multi-crore scam in paddy procurement, he alleged that powerful individuals are implicated, while the government is falsely targeting lower-level staff, shielding the true culprits from justice.