Bhajan symbol of ''Corruption'', Chautala of ''Loot'': Hooda

Adampur, May 19 (UNI) Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today lashed out at his two rival former Chief Ministers saying, ''while Mr Bhajan Lal symbolises corruption, Mr Om Prakash Chautala is synonymous to loot''.

The Chief Minister, while addressing an election meeting here to seek votes for the Congress candidate Mr Ranjit Singh for the bye election, claimed that both Mr Bhajan Lal and Mr Chautala were ''hand in glove and indulged in safeguarding the interests of members of their families only''.

Also, Mr Bhajan Lal never tried to ensure victory of Congress candidates, he charged adding that Mr Ranbir Mahendra had received only 4000 votes from Adampur assembly segment during his election to Lok Sabha from Bhiwani.

Mr Hooda also said that although Mr Bhajan Lal remained Chief Minister of Haryana for 12 years, he did nothing for the development of Haryana, especially his constituency of Adampur.

''Therefore, people should give me a chance by electing Congress candidate from Adampur in this bye election and see how fast the development takes place in their constituency,'' Mr Hooda said.

Mr Hooda was confident of the victory of Congress candidates from all the three assembly constituencies of Indri, Adampur and Gohana, with a record margin, where bye elections were being held.

While criticising Mr Bhajan Lal and Mr Om Prakash Chautala for not taking any interest in the development of the State, Mr Hooda sought the crowds support asserting that his government had waived off arrears of electricity bills of Rs 1600 crore and implemented a scheme to waive off interest on cooperative loans amounting to Rs 830 crore.

He also impressed upon them that it was his govenment which got the ''black law'' abolished under which those not repaying their loans used to be handcuffed and put behind bars.

The farmers have got highest price for wheat, paddy and sugarcane, this year, he added.

He said that special focus has been laid on giving incentives to the members belonging to Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes so as to raise their educational and socio-economic status.

Mr Hooda described Mr Bhajan Lal as ''an ungrateful person'' saying ''He was retained as Chief Minister of Haryana for a long time by Mrs Indira Gandhi, then he was made President of Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee by Mrs Sonia Gandhi who made one of his sons as Deputy Chief Minister and gave ticket to his other son for election to Lok Sabha.'' '' Despite all this,'' he said, Mr Bhajan Lal left Congress and this bye election has been forced on the people.

UNI XC JN BK1802