Kurukshetra, Oct 13 (IANS): Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) chief Gurnam Singh Charuni on Sunday said that despite farmers' union efforts to create a "favourable atmosphere" for Congress, the party was defeated in Haryana because of Bhupinder Hooda.

In an interview with IANS, Charuni, who is also the founder of the Sanyukt Sangharsh Party, said that one of the main reasons for Congress' defeat in the state was former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. He also said that Priyanka Gandhi should lead Congress to save the party.

The BKU chief also spoke on Haryana Assembly elections, Lok Sabha elections, ticket distribution, alliances etc.

Interview excerpts:

IANS: Congress had an advantage over the BJP in Haryana because of the farmers' protest and wrestlers' agitation. Why did it still fail?

Charuni: The biggest reason for Congress' defeat is Bhupinder Hooda. I had said much before the elections that Bhupinder Hooda would destroy Congress. There were facts behind this; that's why I said it. He had promised to give us a ticket in the Lok Sabha elections, but later he reneged on it. If he had compromised with Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader Abhay Chautala and given him a ticket, Congress would have got nine seats in Haryana in the Lok Sabha elections. In the Assembly elections also, he had betrayed us. However, before the Lok Sabha elections, he called me for support on the Rohtak Assembly seat, which was being contested by Deepender Hooda. I sent my state president, and he held a press conference and announced his support. Some people also presented my name to Hooda for a ticket to contest the elections, but he refused. The high command also, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, had said that farmer leaders should be given priority in the elections and tagging them along will benefit the party. Hooda sidelined Ramesh Dalal, who risked his life by fighting Rajiv Gandhi's murder case, as well as Harsh Chhikara, Balraj Kundu, Kumari Selja, Kiran Choudhary, and Randeep Singh Surjewala. He sidelined the Aam Aadmi Party, Abhay Chautala, and me also, even though we helped him. God has now sidelined him.

IANS: What was the reason that you lost in the Pehowa Assembly constituency?

Charuni: Hooda and his team spread rumours that I am aligned with the BJP; I am in their team. Earlier, I was going to field the candidates on all the seats, but I only fought on one seat so that no one raises the allegations of cutting into the vote bank of Congress.

IANS: In a way, you were playing the role of the opposition in the state, but still, the public did not support you. How do you see this?

Charuni: I believe that the atmosphere that was created in favour of Congress in Haryana was due to us, the farmers, but the party couldn't make the best out of it. The BJP was not with the farmers, and now Congress is also doing the same thing. Who will stand with the farmers? No one. That is why I had to contest the elections.

IANS: What was the biggest reason for the Congress's defeat in Haryana?

Charuni: Hooda did not compromise with anyone, and Congress placed all the responsibility on him. I want to tell the Congress high command that if you want to become the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Haryana Assembly, then do not give the responsibility to Hooda. The farmers' union played the role of the opposition, not Hooda. And if this goes on, they need to give this responsibility to someone else who plays the role of a strong opposition. Otherwise, one should not hope that Congress will ever form a government in the state.

IANS: Did the farmers' movement go into the wrong hands?

Charuni: It should not be said that the movement is in the wrong hands. Everyone has their own ideology. My ideology is that no problem can be solved through the streets even in 100 years. Some people say that elections should not be fought. People have also proved this. No matter how much work one does, one will not get votes. Votes will go only to Congress and BJP.

IANS: Will the farmers' agitation in Punjab and Haryana border continue?

Charuni: It is up to the people who are protesting to decide whether to continue or not. There was hope that Congress would win and form a government in the state. However, it failed. The political environment has changed so much that even the farmer class has voted for BJP.

IANS: Will you continue to contest elections, or will you retire?

Charuni: It has not been decided yet. A meeting will be called where it will be decided.

IANS: There were allegations of selling tickets in Congress.

Charuni: Money and ticket selling are very common in politics; all parties practice it. But other parties are not arrogant; they compromise with those who settle down. Congress, on the other hand, has shown arrogance, as well as the high command was weak, and that is where the problem lies. If the command of the party is in the hands of Priyanka Gandhi, then the Congress party can be saved. If the party is led by Priyanka Gandhi instead of Rahul Gandhi, even though both are siblings, it stands a chance of revival. Otherwise, the BJP rule will continue to dominate.

IANS: Was the decision to surround the Parliament and block Delhi in 2021 correct?

Charuni: The decision was absolutely correct. I would say that the movement was weak at that time. What should have happened at that time was that we sat on the borders of the national capital and then surrounded the Parliament. If we had surrounded the Parliament, we would not have seen this day today. Even today, people are just sitting there and coming back after some days. This should have been dealt with once and for all.

IANS: Which states do you feel are farmer-friendly ones -- the BJP-ruled or the Congress-ruled?

Charuni: There is nothing like that. Look at Chhattisgarh, the state government is purchasing paddy at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 3,100 per quintal. The state government is giving it from its pocket in addition to what the Central government is giving. However, in Haryana, one can see that the price of paddy is Rs 2,100 to Rs 2,200 per quintal.

IANS: Congress actively supported the farmers' movement but sidelined the farmers in the elections. Why do you think it happened?

Charuni: Congress did not support the farmers' movement at all. These are just the statements made by the BJP, which alleged that the Congress was paying farmers to stage a protest. Congress, however, has no role in the farmers' movement. Some leaders came to participate in the movement just for their presence, however, Hooda did not even do that. All this was done just to garner votes.

IANS: Farmer leaders raised the issue of farmers; the issues of Agniveers and wrestlers were also there but Congress could not capitalise on these issues.

Charuni: All these factors together created an anti-BJP environment, but Hooda alone destroyed that environment. Congress cannot be blamed for this. Hooda was made the owner of the party there; he was given all the responsibility. The final decision was to be his. He took all the decisions to rule alone.

IANS: Congress is raising questions on EVM. How do you see this?

Charuni: Now the party has nothing left to say, so they are raising questions on the EVM. Congress should take action against the actual accused, that is, Hooda.