Senior Congress leader and former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Thursday said he would file a defamation case against Indian National Lok Dal chief Abhay Singh Chautala, accusing him of making false allegations about an alleged understanding with the BJP ahead of the 2024 Haryana Assembly election.
Speaking to reporters before chairing a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party, Hooda rejected Chautala’s claims that he had met a senior BJP leader before the election and struck a deal that contributed to the Congress’ defeat.
Hooda also denied Chautala’s allegation that he had a partnership or any other connection with a private real estate company.
“I will drag him to court and I have given instructions to my lawyers in this regard,” Hooda said, indicating that legal proceedings against the INLD leader would be initiated.
Chautala had alleged deal before 2024 polls
Chautala had recently alleged that Hooda reached an understanding with a senior BJP leader ahead of the 2024 Haryana Assembly election to ensure that the Congress did not come to power.
The INLD chief had also made claims about Hooda’s alleged involvement in a private company. Hooda rejected both accusations, maintaining that he neither held the meeting alleged by Chautala nor had any association with the company in question.
The exchange has added another layer to political tensions in Haryana, where the Congress remains the principal Opposition to the BJP government.
The Congress had entered the 2024 Assembly election hoping to end the BJP’s decade-long rule in Haryana but fell short as the BJP returned to power for a third consecutive term.
Congress wants Haryana to co-host 2030 CWG
The Congress Legislature Party meeting also decided to push for Haryana to be made a co-host of the 2030 Commonwealth Games along with Gujarat.
According to the party, it will bring a resolution on the issue during the upcoming monsoon session of the Haryana Assembly.
Congress argued that Haryana deserves to be designated a co-organising state because athletes from the state have consistently contributed a substantial share of India’s medals at major international sporting competitions.
The party intends to formally raise the proposal in the Assembly and press the state government to pursue the matter with the Centre.
Inflation, jobs and SIR discussed
The CLP meeting also discussed inflation, recruitment processes, the Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam, the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, law and order, sanitation workers’ demands, farmers’ grievances and alleged scams.
Congress MLAs decided to raise these issues both inside the Assembly and through political campaigns outside the House.
Hooda particularly targeted the government over rising prices, claiming that the impact of ethanol blending was being felt beyond fuel prices.
He said sugar prices had reached around Rs 70 per kg and alleged that ordinary households were facing pressure from increases in both fuel and essential commodity prices.
The former chief minister also said the Congress was keeping a close watch on issues arising from the revision of electoral rolls.
Hooda attacks government over law and order
Law and order emerged as another major issue at the meeting, with Hooda citing recent incidents in Dadri and Kurukshetra to accuse the BJP government of failing to maintain public security.
He referred to an incident of firing in Dadri and a dacoity in Kurukshetra, arguing that such crimes had created fear among residents.
Hooda said an offence being committed near a police station demonstrated that criminals no longer feared law-enforcement agencies.
He alleged that robberies, dacoities, extortion, murders and firing incidents had become increasingly common in Haryana and said the Congress would confront the government over the issue during the Assembly session.
The party plans to use the monsoon session to press the BJP government on these issues while simultaneously pursuing its proposal to give Haryana a formal role in hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games.