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The Congress party is facing the consequences of its humiliating defeat in the Haryana Assembly elections. Two days after the loss, the party leadership, led by Mallikarjun Kharge, held a review meeting to analyze the reasons behind their failure. The meeting included prominent figures like Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal, Ashok Gehlot, and Ajay Maken, but notably absent were key figures from the Haryana Congress, namely former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Kumari Selja, and Randeep Surjewala.
The exclusion of these leaders has sparked speculation and raised concerns about internal divisions within the Congress party. Analysts believe that factionalism between the Hooda camp and the Selja-Surjewala faction played a significant role in the party's electoral downfall. The infighting, combined with over-reliance on sitting MLAs and issues with rebel candidates, contributed to the Congress' inability to reclaim power after a decade. Despite a strong anti-incumbency sentiment against the BJP, which had been in power for ten years, the Congress managed only 37 seats in the 90-member assembly, while the BJP secured 48, contradicting exit polls that predicted a comfortable win for Congress.
The Congress leadership is acknowledging the disappointing results and the need for introspection. Ajay Maken, speaking after the meeting, admitted that there were multiple factors contributing to the loss, including internal differences. He acknowledged that the results were unexpected and significantly deviated from the predictions of exit polls. Maken emphasized that the party will take appropriate steps to address the shortcomings and improve its performance in future elections. The meeting comes a day after the Congress demanded a thorough probe into 'discrepancies' found in some Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) during the vote counting, alleging irregularities and calling for the sealing of the affected machines. This move indicates a growing sense of frustration and distrust within the Congress party towards the election process.
The Congress is facing a challenging period as it grapples with the reasons behind its defeat in Haryana. The absence of key figures from the review meeting highlights the internal divisions within the party, which are likely to impact future strategies. The party will need to address these internal issues, rebuild trust among its members, and develop a comprehensive plan to regain its political strength in the state. The upcoming elections in other states will be crucial for the Congress to demonstrate its ability to bounce back and regain the confidence of the voters.
Source: Bhupinder Hooda, Selja not invited: Congress holds review meeting on shock defeat in Haryana