Rohtak (Haryana), March 17 (IANS): Congress leader and former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda on Sunday said the Election Commission had announced the poll schedule and the time had come to change the government, both in the Centre and the state.

Addressing a Jan Aakrosh Rally in the new grain market of Meham, Hooda said the Congress would form the next government in the state and defeat the BJP by a margin of 1 lakh votes in Meham.

"The victory of 1 lakh votes will happen only when every vote is cast at every booth, and the voting percentage is 90 per cent," he said.

Hooda, who is also the Leader of the Opposition, said: "Haryana is facing unemployment, crime, drugs, and has become number one in corruption. The Social Progress Index released by the government of India states that Haryana is one of the most unsafe states."

He asserted that after the elections, the change of power is certain in the state and if the Congress government comes, the elderly will be given a monthly pension of Rs 6,000, 300 units of electricity will be free to every family, gas cylinders will be given for Rs 500 to women, and Rs 2 lakh will be given to unemployed youth.

Addressing the public meeting, state Congress President Udai Bhan said a historic victory in Rohtak would write the destiny of Haryana's bright future. In a direct attack on BJP, he said the time has come to teach those who mislead people by rhetoric.

"The BJP is a party that lies, it has not fulfilled any promise made to the people, while the Congress has done what it said. When the Congress government is formed, work will be done to provide debt relief to the farmers through loan waiver, along with MSP (minimum support price) guarantee on the basis of C2+50,” he added.