CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Saturday hit out at political parties which had been making the Dadupur-Nalvi canal project their poll plank and even included it in their election manifestos but on coming to power forgot all about it. This was the reason why the project was not initiated for more than 30 years, he said. Talking to media persons after inaugurating the first phase of the Dadupur-Nalvi canal at Dadupur in Yamunanagar, he said it was his regime which took this project seriously and started construction work on a war footing. He said the irrigation project was being executed in three phases at an estimated cost of Rs.267.27 crore for re-charging and irrigating 92,532 hectares of land in 225 villages of Ambala, Yamunanagar and Kurukshetra districts. The second phase is likely to be completed by June 30, 2010. The whole system of the Dadupur-Nalvi canal project had been kept unlined to re-charge the aquifer of this area besides providing irrigation facilities, he added. Mr. Hooda once again hinted that Haryana Assembly polls, due next February, could be held earlier if the Election Commission so desired. He asserted that despite a below average rainfall in the State the Government would not let the farmers