Chandigarh: Senior Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa has said his party is unitedly fighting the Haryana assembly polls to dislodge the BJP, and claimed it was the saffron party which was witnessing "infighting" after Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini was brought in as a "night watchman".
With the polling date drawing close in Haryana, both the the BJP and Congress leaders have sharpened their attacks on each other and claiming that there is infighting in the rival camp.
Bajwa, who has been appointed as a senior observer by the Congress for the Haryana assembly polls, claimed that there was rift in the ruling party with some BJP leaders expressing their desire to become the chief minister.
"There is infighting in the BJP. Nayab Singh Saini was brought as a night watchman. The BJP replaced Manohar Lal Khattar as chief minister because of anti-incumbency," the senior Congress leader told PTI.
"BJP leader Anil Vij has staked claim for the chief minister's post and another party leader Rao Inderjit Singh also wanted to be the chief minister," he pointed out.
Asked about the BJP's claims that there was factionalism in the state unit of the Congress, Bajwa asserted, "There is no infighting at all. We are all fighting together to dislodge the BJP." He said the Congress in Haryana will register a "landslide victory" in the assembly polls as the people will vote against the misgovernance" of the BJP's 10-year rule.
"It will be a landslide victory for the Congress in the Haryana assembly polls. It will be unprecedented. People will vote against the misgovernance of the ten-year-rule of the BJP in the state," he said.
The BJP "failed" all sections of society, he said, adding they did nothing for the people of Haryana.
Bajwa, who is the leader of opposition in the Punjab Assembly, claimed that youth of the state were angry with the state government over the issue of Agnipath scheme while farmers were up against the BJP over their various demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price.
"There is anti-incumbency of 10 years of the BJP. People of Haryana are completely upset with them (BJP)," he said.
"Unemployment in Haryana is one of the biggest issues," he said as he targeted the Saini government.
Replying to a question on the Aam Aadmi Party, which is contesting the state assembly polls solo, Bajwa said the Arvind Kejriwal-led outfit was seen as "vote cutters".
"People are not willing to vote for any party which they consider will provide any indirect advantage to the BJP," he asserted.
The AAP is contesting the Haryana assembly polls solo after talks with the Congress for stitching an alliance for the election could not fructify.
Polling for the 90 assembly seats in Haryana will be held on October 5 and votes will be counted on October 8.