Addressing a crowd of villagers during a tour of his assembly seat, the opposition leader said he faced only two choices – “to sit silent or to fight” – and declared he was ready for the latter, drawing applause as he spoke in Haryanvi.
Hooda framed his political future as a matter of public will, stating, “My people are my real strength. I have come to ask you whether I should sit quietly or continue to fight. I am not going to step back. I have never stepped back before.”
Invoking the language of a wrestling arena, he warned that a political leader draws strength from the people, not from personal power, and accused the ruling BJP government of neglecting the interests of citizens and their children.
He concluded by urging the audience to raise their hands in support of his continued activism, adding, “If anyone tries to elbow me out, I know how to strike back so hard that they will fall to the ground. I know how to use my elbow.”
The remarks come amid growing strains within the Haryana Congress. Earlier this year a brief exchange between Hooda and Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Singh Surjewala at a welcome event for new state Congress in‑charge Sanjay Dutt went viral, with Hooda urging Surjewala’s support and Surjewala replying that he had backed Hooda for two decades and now expected the same in return.
Political analysts see Hooda’s public pledge as a signal that he may seek a more active role in upcoming state elections, potentially reshaping the power dynamics within the state Congress and challenging the BJP’s hold on Haryana.