CM Saini Accused Congress of Running a "Shop of Lies"

As the Haryana state assembly elections draw near, the political landscape is becoming increasingly charged. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has come out swinging, confident of his party's prospects and dismissive of opposition claims. 

Unity in the Face of Rumored Divisions

Addressing rumors of internal conflicts within the BJP, CM Saini firmly stated, "There is no internal strife, no factionalism. We are all united." This comes in response to senior BJP leaders Rao Inderjit Singh and Anil Vij expressing their ambitions for top positions. Saini emphasized the democratic nature of the party, saying, "Anyone can put forward their claim. The parliamentary board will decide, and whatever decision is made will be acceptable to all of us." 

Congress Accused of Running a "Shop of Lies"

CM Saini didn't pull any punches when it came to the opposition. He labeled Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's "Haryana Sankalp Yatra" as mere "political tourism." Saini welcomed Gandhi to witness the development in Haryana over the past decade but warned that voters would question him about the alleged "kharchi" and "parchi" system (implying corruption and favoritism) during Bhupinder Hooda's tenure as Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister expressed confidence that Haryana's voters are now too wise to allow Congress to establish what he called a "shop of lies" in the state again. He dismissed claims of an anti-incumbency wave, stating, "There is no anti-incumbency wave. When a party is in power for two terms, the opposition assumes it will be difficult to form a government for the third time. But that's not the case."

BJP's Promises and Achievements

Saini highlighted the BJP's election promises, including two lakh government jobs, 10 industrial cities, guaranteed government jobs for Agniveers, and full scholarships for SC and OBC students in government medical and engineering colleges. He contrasted this with the Congress era, claiming, "Congress governments worked under the 'kharchi-parchi' system from 2004 to 2014, but the BJP government ended this system and provided 1.5 lakh government jobs with transparency."

The Chief Minister also pointed out that the state BJP government is providing Minimum Support Price (MSP) for 24 crops, challenging Congress to show any state under their rule doing the same. 

As Haryana prepares to vote on October 5, with results due on October 8, the BJP aims for a historic third consecutive term. Meanwhile, Congress seeks to return to power after a decade-long hiatus. The stage is set for an intense electoral battle that will shape Haryana's future for the next five years.