Siwan/Ladwa (Haryana): People know the fate of tall promises made by the Congress in Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana, but their "falsehood" won't work in Haryana, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said.
Asserting that the BJP is set to return to power in Haryana with a full majority after the October 5 Assembly polls, he said the party will accelerate the ongoing development works.
"As you can see, there is tremendous enthusiasm among people. The BJP will form government for the third time and with full majority," Saini told PTI after addressing a poll rally in Siwan in Kaithal district. The chief minister on Saturday addressed the rally in favour of BJP candidate from Guhla segment, Kulwant Bazigar.
The 54-year-old Saini, who is contesting from Ladwa, attacked the Congress, saying everyone knows about the tall promises they made to the people of Himachal, Karnataka and Telangana before polls. "Misleading people by telling lies to grab power is nothing new for them", he said.
"Just take the example of neighbouring Himachal. What about Congress' promise of 1 lakh jobs to youth annually, Rs 1,500 to women and free power in Himachal," he said and asked if they have fulfilled these promises. "People of Haryana know the fate of Congress' false promises. Their (Congress') falsehood won't work here," he said.
He said unlike the Congress' "false" promises, what the BJP says, it delivers. Notably, for the Haryana polls, the Congress' election promises include monthly Rs 2,000 to every woman between 18 and 60 years and a gas cylinder for Rs 500. The BJP's election promises include a monthly assistance of Rs 2,100 for women, two lakh government jobs for youths and guaranteed government jobs for Agniveers hailing from the state.
When asked about Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda's claims that it is going to be a direct fight between his party and the BJP in the polls, Saini told PTI, "whatever they may say, the BJP is going to win by a heavy margin". "Earlier, Congress people used to say in Madhya Pradesh elections too that it is going to be a close fight. How many seats did they (Cong) get there? Haryana results will again surprise them and the BJP will register a big win," he asserted.
Equitable development has been undertaken by the BJP government and is committed to accelerating the pace of development once it returns to power, he said. Several decisions for the welfare of various sections, including farmers, poor, women, and youth have been taken by the government, he said, adding the BJP has given a transparent administration and jobs have been given on merit.
Saini, the outgoing MLA from the Karnal segment, has been fielded by his party from the Ladwa constituency in Kurukshetra district. He served as party MP from Kurukshetra between 2019 and 2024. In March 2024, the BJP replaced Manohar Lal Khattar as chief minister bringing Saini in his place. Khattar is now a Union Minister.
Sixteen candidates are in the fray from Ladwa and among others, Saini is up against Congress' sitting MLA Mewa Singh. Singh said people have made up their mind to oust the BJP government. "I have been serving Ladwa for the past 25 years. He (Saini) remained MP for five years, what did he do for Ladwa. He cannot count a single work which he did for Ladwa when he was MP," Singh said.
Notably, in the past three elections, the seat has been won by the INLD, BJP and Congress. Prem Chand, who has a shop in Ladwa, told PTI that besides agriculture, many people of the constituency have government jobs. "Many of those who have got jobs during the last ten years are also from backward communities," he says.
Chand, however, feels more needs to be done to improve the infrastructure. "The sewerage system also needs a lot of improvement," he says. When asked how he sees the contest with Chief Minister Saini for the first time entering the fray from Ladwa, Chand said, "the CM has also been an MP from Kurukshetra earlier, So, in that way the assembly segment has been a part of his parliamentary constituency earlier".
"Besides, the Saini 'samaj' has a sizeable vote in the constituency. Generally, they vote en bloc," he claimed. At an autorickshaw stand in Ladwa, an intense discussion is taking place on how the polls will shape up in the coming days. Some feel it will be a close fight between the Congress and the BJP in Ladwa and elsewhere in the state.
However, autorickshaw driver Jai Bhagwan says, "Polls come and go. We have to earn daily to eat.. for us, as autorickshaw drivers, if a Ladwa bypass road is built, it will help ease traffic jams". Polling for the 90 Assembly seats in Haryana will be held on October 5 and the results will be declared on October 8.
