Former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda launched a scathing attack on the state government today, accusing it of neglecting Panchkula’s development for over a decade. He also levelled serious allegations regarding a Rs 160 crore scam within the Panchkula Municipal Corporation (MC).
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Speaking to the press after meeting with Congress mayoral candidate Sudha Bhardwaj and all 20 ward candidates, Hooda highlighted the deteriorating state of local infrastructure.
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“The roads are dilapidated, and the condition of the city is extremely poor. Panchkula is a city adjacent to the state capital, Chandigarh, yet development here has been completely neglected,” Hooda said.
Key Issues Highlighted
Raising the issue of Rs 160 crore MC scam Hooda alleged a major financial fraud in the Panchkula Municipal Corporation. He claimed that the authorities were currently taking action only against junior-level employees, despite the massive scale of the irregularities.
Pointing out that the BJP’s mayoral candidate previously held the contract for road construction, Hooda questioned how an individual associated with poor-quality work could deliver meaningful development if elected.
Criticising the state’s security environment, Hooda cited multiple instances where local businessmen were targeted for ransom and extortion calls. He alleged that Chief Minister Nayab Saini remains preoccupied with touring Punjab rather than addressing internal state issues.
Responding to Chief Minister Nayab Saini’s statement regarding a “triple-engine government for the past 12 years, he said, “All three engines have failed. In Faridabad, roads worth Rs 200 crore were constructed merely on paper; in Panchkula Rs 160 crore vanished without a trace; and in Rohtak, a land scam took place.”
The former Chief Minister noted that the dismal state of water drainage, sewage systems, sanitation and the CCTV surveillance was evident to everyone.
Anti-incumbency in Bengal
Responding to questions regarding the electoral results in five states, Hooda drew a parallel to the political climate in Haryana. He observed that while the BJP benefited in West Bengal from anti-incumbency against the long-standing TMC government, the Congress party stands to gain from a similar wave of anti-incumbency against the BJP in Haryana