Will Sonia Gandhi’s blessing help Hooda earn Haryana CM post again?

Haryana Chief Minister

has made a startling confession by saying that he will rule the State as long as he enjoys

president

's blessings. This blatant remark from the Congress strongman shows how things in the party fall in line at the behest of Sonia Gandhi. Even if someone doesn't hold merit, one could enjoy plumb posts with 10 Janpath's backing.

At a time when the Congress is busy replacing Chief Minister following its drubbing in the recently concluded Lok Sabha poll, Hooda escaping the axe raises several eyebrows. Before people could even speculate about what exactly is the reason for this remark, he himself spilled the beans.

"As long as I have the blessings of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, support of party MLAs and trust of the people, I will continue to serve the State as Chief Minister," Hooda told reporters at Ballabgarh.

Now, a little dissection about Hooda Government's work profile that would explain if he really has the merit to hold Haryana's CM post or is it bonhomie with Sonia that is paying the dividend.

Congress under Hooda's leadership bagged only one out of 10 seats in Haryana in the Lok Sabha polls as against 9 seats it had won in 2009 general elections.

Hooda is also facing internal criticism for party's debacle in Lok Sabha poll from senior Congress leader Birendar Singh and Kumari Selja. Singh had even refused to contest Assembly poll under Hooda's leadership.

Hooda Government is reaping the benefits of giving alleged favours to Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra. Haryana Government had reportedly made special concessions for Vadra and facilitated him in the dubious mega land deals.

The sensational expose by whistleblower IAS officer Ashok Khemka, who ordered cancellation of the mutation of the sale deed of over 3 acres of land in Gurgaon's Shikopur village in October 2012, revealed this nexus between Haryana Government and Robert Vadra. Khemka alleged that Vadra's Sky Light Hospitality had entered into the sale agreement with the realty giant DLF for the sale of land.

Khemka, who is being chargesheeted by the Hooda Government, has always maintained that he is paying the price for exposing Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law.

With the grand old party of India losing its sheen in Haryana, the opposition BJP is trying to seal the opportunity. Stepping up the ante, party has announced to prepare a charge sheet with details of alleged irregularities of the Congress Government in State. This decision was taken during the two-day meeting of State BJP's working committee which concluded at Kurukshetra on Sunday.

Recently, Union Minister of State for External Affairs Gen VK Singh (retired), during his visit to Haryana, termed the Hooda Government as a property dealers' regime. Singh accused the State Government of giving favours to a select few while the farmers and soldiers in the State are being forced to pay through their nose.

Looking at the track record of Hooda Government, it will be interesting to see whether people of Haryana would repose faith in him for the third consecutive time or give BJP a chance to prove its credentials.