Rajesh Kumar Sethi, a Congress leader from Nagaland and newly appointed AICC observer, has voiced strong criticism of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) amid the ongoing election season in Haryana. “The ongoing election season has left the BJP traumatized in Haryana…. They are feeling anxious,” Sethi stated during his visit to the busy township of Narwana, where political activities are intensifying despite the oppressive heat.
Sethi highlighted the growing dissatisfaction among voters, particularly the youth and farmers, attributing it to the BJP’s policies over the past decade. “It is sad Haryana moved backwards in the last 10 years under the BJP. The saffron party has lost the support base among youths for joblessness and among farmers for their highly controversial and confused agrarian policy,” he remarked.
In his assessment of the BJP’s governance, Sethi noted, “ ”When I assess the last 10 years of poor governance in Haryana, I find them confused on what economic liberalisation policy really means,” he told group meetings in the town on Tuesday.
He further said, “Sometimes the BJP seems to oppose Liberalisation, sometimes they want to end the socio-political relevance of the farming community. Whatever developments they tried, they resulted in bringing more social disharmony… No one is happy with them”.
As part of his responsibilities, Sethi has been actively engaging with party workers and supporters, particularly in the Narwana Assembly constituency. The All India Congress Committee (AICC) Minority Department appointed him as the observer for the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections. Sethi emphasized the historical significance of the Narwana segment, referring to prominent leaders like former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Randeep Singh Surjewala, and Kumari Selja as pivotal figures in the area’s political landscape.
This election cycle sees Congress fielding Satbir Dablain from Narwana, while the BJP and the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) have nominated Krishan Kumar Bedi and Vidya Rani, respectively. Sethi noted that Narwana has traditionally been an anti-BJP bastion, with Congress winning the seat in previous elections through candidates like Surjewala in 1996 and 2005.
According to an update from Sethi, local concerns have also come to the forefront, with voters expressing their grievances over joblessness, farmers’ issues, and rising toll charges on essential roads connecting Narwana to surrounding villages. “We are winning hands down. But I am serious about everything, and hence I am leaving nothing to chance. I have the blessings of the women folk, our mothers, and other elders. We will win with a record margin,” asserted Congress candidate Satbir Dablain.
Senior Congress leader Ishwar Singh noted that Dablain’s status as a newcomer is an asset in this election. Khajanchi Agarwal, another Congress strategist, echoed this sentiment, stating, “The people of Narwana and Haryana have lauded the politics of the Congress party and the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. People have decisively rejected the divisive and negative politics of the BJP.”