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The Congress party, in a state of shock after its unexpected defeat in the Haryana assembly elections, convened a review meeting to dissect the reasons behind their loss. The meeting was led by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and included prominent figures like former party president Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal, and senior observers Ashok Gehlot and Ajay Maken. The discussion centered around the stark discrepancy between pre-election predictions and the actual outcome, with exit polls suggesting a different result than what ultimately transpired.
Ajay Maken, in a post-meeting statement to the press, acknowledged the unexpected nature of the results and the significant divergence between exit polls and the actual outcome. He stated that the meeting focused on identifying potential factors contributing to this unexpected turn of events. Although a specific timeframe for implementing corrective measures was not disclosed, Maken assured that appropriate actions would be taken moving forward. The party acknowledged that internal strife and issues related to the Election Commission played a role in the outcome.
The Congress leadership voiced concerns regarding the functioning of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) during the vote count. A delegation comprising senior party leaders, including former chief ministers Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Ashok Gehlot, had met with Election Commission officials the previous day, presenting a memorandum outlining their concerns. The delegation cited specific instances where EVMs were reported to have operated at 99% battery capacity, while the average EVM during the counting process typically functions at 60 to 70% battery capacity. This disparity, coupled with other allegations, led the Congress to request a comprehensive investigation into the matter, urging the sealing and securing of the suspect EVMs pending the inquiry.
Beyond the EVM concerns, internal factors within the Congress party also contributed to the unfavorable results. The party, seemingly overconfident in the performance of its sitting MLAs, failed to adequately address internal conflicts that arose during the campaign. This infighting, coupled with the disruption caused by rebel candidates, ultimately hindered the Congress's ability to regain its footing in Haryana after a decade of BJP rule.
The Congress had been optimistic about their chances in Haryana, aiming to unseat the BJP government that had been in power for ten years. However, the BJP, securing 48 seats, defied the predictions of exit polls that favored the Congress. The Congress managed to win 37 seats in the 90-member assembly. The party's leadership now faces the challenge of analyzing the reasons behind the unexpected outcome and devising strategies to rebuild their position in the state.
Source: Congress top brass reviews ‘unexpected’ Haryana poll verdict