Hooda asks MLAs, senior leaders for show strength at Panipat rally

CHANDIGARH: Adding an unwritten criterion for aspirants of party tickets for assembly elections, Haryana Congress leadership and chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda have asked them to show their following by pulling crowds to the party rally in Panipat on August 24.
Hooda conveyed this to party MLAs and senior leaders during the Congress legislature party (CLP) meeting held at the CM's residence on Saturday afternoon.The move was later endorsed during the Congress election committee's meeting at party headquarters.
At the CEC meeting, Hooda advised participants to defer the issue of finalizing the criteria for selection of candidates for assembly polls. The criteria will now be finalized and declared during the meeting of election committee on August 25, a day after the Panipat rally. Senior Congress leaders, who attended the meeting, said Rajya Sabha MP Kumari Selja and excise minister Kiran Choudhry were among those who initiated the discussion to finalize the criteria. CM Hooda had advised them to defer the same for the next meeting.
Reacting to a poll survey released by a section of TV news channels, which gave clear majority to BJP in the assembly polls, CM Hooda, while interacting with party leaders, said it was a ploy as the survey was conducted in 45 assembly constituencies. He said the complete survey report had projected 37% vote share for Congress.