Chandigarh: With ruling Congress eyeing third term in a row in Haryana, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda dismissed that there was any "Modi" wave in the state, saying the issues in the state assembly elections are different than those in the Lok Sabha polls.
With Modi set to launch an aggressive campaign in Haryana, which goes to polls on October 15, 67-year-old Hooda said that during the Lok Sabha polls an atmosphere was build up in favour of one individual (Modi), but in the upcoming elections the situation is entirely different.
The two-time Chief Minister dismissed that there was any "Modi wave" in the State and chided the BJP, which has not even declared its Chief Ministerial candidate, for saying the party will form the next government on their own.
Despite Congress winning only one out of 10 seats in the Lok Sabha polls while BJP won seven out of eight it contested and INLD winning from two seats, Hooda asserted that issues in the assembly polls are different.
"There is no such wave. Modi is not fighting for the post of Chief Minister of Haryana. Moreover earlier, an atmosphere was hyped up during the Lok Sabha polls, but later on people realised they had been befooled. In the assembly elections, issues are different," Hooda told PTI.
He said that so far he has addressed over 70 public meetings ahead of the polls and he can feel the pulse and the mood of the public.
"People are satisfied with the performance of the government, that is why I can say with confidence that Congress is going to form the government for the third time.
"There is no anti-incumbency rather there is pro-incumbency. People vote on development, they are wise and understand quite well who can further accelerate this pace of development," he said.
Asked about the challenges he feels Congress is going to face in these elections, Hooda said, "for every party every election is a challenge. But we are confident that people will once again repose their faith in our party".
Hooda also took a dig at BJP chief Amit Shah for using the "mujra" remark for him, saying "use of this kind of language by a man holding such a post does not behove him".
He also hit out at the main opposition INLD for "misleading" people about the allotment of lands in the state.
Hooda said that not even a single inch of land has been given to any developer by the Government and challenged the opposition that if proved, he would retire from politics.
"Leave alone an acre, let them point out a single inch of land..I will quit," he said.
