Ex-Haryana Congress chief working to cause dent to party

After quitting the Congress, former Haryana unit chief Ashok Tanwar has decided to work for the party's defeat in the state's Assembly elections slated for October 21.

His plan is to extend support to candidates from any party or even Independents in each constituency against the Congress.

He, however, ruled out giving blanket support to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Speaking to , Tanwar said that he will try to ensure that the Congress does not win more than five seats in Haryana's 90-member Assembly.

Tanwar, who quit last week after being replaced as state unit chief, said he will support candidates who he deems to be of good image.

"Initially, I gave a slogan of '85 paar' (cross 85 seats) but now it will be Congress which will lose in at least 85 seats," said Tanwar, who has already started touring the state.

He has made his base in Rohtak, which is the stronghold of Congress leader and former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

On his next move, he has asked his supporters to wait.

At the same time, he claims that many leaders from the Congress have made congratulatory calls to him and many have also messaged him on his decision to quit the party.

Armed with supporters and the base of Scheduled Caste voters, Tanwar hopes to make a major dent to the Congress which he termed as 'Hooda Congress'.

The Scheduled Caste (SC) community is just behind the powerful Jats in the state in terms of numbers. The estimated share of Scheduled caste vote is around 22 per cent.

The Congress has replaced Tanwar with Kumari Selja who is also from the SC community.

The Congress party has very less time to control the damage done by Tanwar's exit. A viral video of three Congress leaders discussing poll prospects in Haryana has made the situation even worse.

In the video, Congress Treasurer Ahmed Patel is purportedly seen asking Hooda "where is the party", suggesting that it is in bad state in Haryana.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has said Tanwar will not be taken into the party.

When asked, Tanwar said he was not keen to join BJP but it's the saffron party which had contacted him several times.

( With inputs from IANS )