Bhupinder Singh Hooda interview: ‘How could ticket distribution be lopsided? Congress follows a proper procedure’

After winning 5 Lok Sabha seats successful June, however bash you spot the Vidhan Sabha canvass results?

It is perfectly bizarre. We remained connected the crushed passim each these 5 years. There was immense choler against this non-performing authorities and the BJP. People from each the communities, successful each and each nook and country of the state, were eagerly waiting for October 5 (polling date) to workout their franchise and propulsion this authorities out. Congress was each acceptable to signifier the government. I had been saying this not owed to immoderate over-confidence but lone owed to the feedback that we were getting from the ground. All the surveys, our ain interior surveys, the trends, media, people’s voices – however could everybody spell wrong? All I tin accidental is that it is a prajatantra, a loktantra jisme log haar gaye, tantra jeet gaya (In a democracy, radical mislaid and the strategy won).

Kumari Selja has alleged lopsided summons organisation astatine your behest. Do you hold with that?

How could the summons organisation beryllium lopsided? There is simply a due process that the Congress enactment follows. Applications were invited and we got the maximum fig of summons aspirants. The scrutiny committee scanned the applications. Winnable candidates were shortlisted and past aft getting scrutinised astatine aggregate levels, the enactment precocious bid took the last determination and the candidates were declared. How could it beryllium lopsided astatine my behest?

Do you deliberation Kumari Selja’s lack from run oregon BJP’s onslaught connected your differences with her outgo you?

This is each absurd. Where was Rambilas Sharma (BJP’s erstwhile curate who was not fielded this clip successful Mahendragarh), wherever did (BJP’s erstwhile minister) Anil Vij campaign, wherever was (Union Minister) Rao Inderjit Singh? The BJP doesn’t speech astir its ain factionalism. There is thing similar that (in the Congress). Our run was beardown and each the enactment leaders and workers did their best.

Do you hold that Congress, oregon you, relied much connected Jat voters and BJP managed to consolidate non-Jat ballot bank?

Such an investigation oregon examination betwixt Congress and BJP has nary base. We got the enactment of each the 36-biraadaris. People from each communities, castes and religions voted for the Congress party. Otherwise, however could we person got 39 per cent ballot share. [BJP won 48 seats and got a ballot stock of 39.94 per cent, portion Congress got 37 seats and a ballot stock of 39.09 per cent]. People should look astatine the quality successful ballot share. It is simply a fewer decimal points.

What transpired during your gathering with the Election Commission?

It is highly glaring. You request to look astatine it step-wise. In Lok Sabha polls, Congress party’s ballot stock accrued by implicit 16 per cent, portion BJP’s decreased by 12 per cent. Both Congress and BJP got 5 Lok Sabha seats, each. All the surveys, including our interior surveys, showed a comfy triumph of the Congress with an implicit majority. The polling took spot connected October 5 and connected that time too, each the exit polls showed Congress acold up of the BJP. On October 8, the counting of votes began with postal ballots and Congress was comfortably acold up of the BJP. But, arsenic soon arsenic the EVMs opened, Congress began sliding. How could that beryllium possible? We received aggregate complaints, astatine slightest 20 of our candidates person lodged complaints of EVM malfunction oregon snags successful the EVMs. How could determination beryllium 99% battery successful the EVM that is into the counting process? We person lodged our concerns with the Election Commission who person assured america that they would look into it.