Assembly poll to be
Hooda’s real test

Hisar, August 31

Raman Mohan

Tribune News Service
The dissolution of the state Assembly marks the coming of age of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda as politician. As such, the upcoming vidhan sabha elections hold a special significance for Hooda that it will provide him an opportunity to establish himself as a leader in the same league as the biggies like the late devil al and bansi lal.

Hooda, a shaky beginner, began his innings as Chief Minister as a cautious novice having never been even a minister before being sworn in as Chief Minister. His critics promptly dubbed him as an inexperienced administrator aired doubts about his ability to last a full term. Still others questioned his hold over the bureaucracy.

However, the events over the past four-and-a-half-year proved otherwise. He not only managed to run the government effectively, but also splintered the opposition parties and did not allow any of his cabinet colleagues to raise a banner of revolt.

Nevertheless, despite the stupendous victory in the recent Lok Sabha polls, the upcoming Assembly polls will be the real test for Hooda. In the 204 Lok Sabha polls and the 2005 Assembly polls, the congress victory rested on the foundations of a strong antiincumbency factor. Public sentiments wre so much against the then Chief Minister om parkash chautala and his Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), that this staunch supporters who campained for his party, could not convince even their votes in favor of the INLD.

The subsequent by elections to the Assembly were partly due to the fact that the congress was the ruling party and partly to the Hooda’s unassuming personality and his efforts to please all sections of society.

His government’s performance was the biggest factor in the recent Lok Sabha polls. But, even here is critics lend to give at least a fraction of the credit to the fact that issues are different in a parliamentary poll and that a weakening NDA helped Hooda lead the Congress to victory. This is not entirely true.

It is in this background that the upcoming polls will truly be referendum on Hooda as Chief Minister, a leader and a politician. A victory in these elections will establish him as a leader in the same league as the late Devi Lal and Bansi Lal and one who can lead his patyu to victory on his shoulders alone.

Stakes are hish for Hooda. But his confidence stems from a splintered opposition, no anti-incumbecy factor, his personal popularity and of course the popularity of his gioverment.