I am young enough to win Lok Sabha polls: Bhajan Lal

Hisar (Haryana), May 3, 2009: His opponents say he is a
spent force, but 78-year-old former chief minister Bhajan Lal
insists he is "young enough" to win parliamentary elections.
"My health is absolutely good. I have not grown old. In
fact, I am young enough to win elections and represent my
people in the Lok Sabha," Lal told PTI in an interview.
Lal, a Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) nominee, is battling
against sitting Congress MP Jai Prakash and Indian National
Lok Dal's Sampat Singh from Hisar for the polls on May 7.
Lal's son Kuldeep Bishnoi is heading the party.
Though his critics insist the two-time MP is old enough
to serve the constituency now, Lal differs.
"I know there are people who are pointing towards my age
to get political mileage. But they should understand that
people of Hisar have chosen me a number of times in past --
both for the Assembly and the Lok Sabha," he said.
Taking a dig at his critics, Lal expressed confidence
that his experience will prevail over age, as most of the
younger candidates of other parties are not even aware of the
basic problems of the constituency.
"I may be slighter older than them but I have the
experience and know the land and its people. I have all the
reasons to win," he said.
Accusing the ruling Congress of meting out step-motherly
treatment to Hisar, Lal said Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh
Hooda has been carrying out development work only in selected
areas like Rohtak and Gurgaon while other parts of the state
lack basic amenities.
"Hooda has not done anything for the people of this
area," he said.
Lal, who left the Congress in 2005 after losing the race
for the chief minister to Hooda, was elected to the Assembly
nine times and twice to the Lok Sabha.
The veteran politician is currently busy campaigning for
other candidates of the HJC, which has fielded nominees in all
the 10 constituencies of the state.
"I am going to almost all the areas in the constituency.
People are disappointed by seeing the work done by their
winning MP. I am sure they will choose me this time," he said.
However, Lal refused to talk on issues relating to his
son Chander Mohan alias Chand Mohammad's marriage and
subsequent break-up with former Assistant Advocate General
of Haryana Anuradha Bali alias Fiza.