Rahul on Haryana poll rout: ‘Analysing unexpected results, will inform EC’

Breaking his silence over the Congress’ shocking defeat in Haryana, party leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday (October 9) said the party is analysing the “unexpected” results and will brief the Election Commission (EC) about complaints coming from different constituencies.

In his post on X, Rahul, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, also thanked the people of Jammu and Kashmir for voting the National Conference-Congress alliance to power.

Opinion: Rahul stumbles in Haryana, needs to 'dirty his hands' in realpolitik

“My heartfelt thanks to the people of Jammu and Kashmir - India's victory in the state is a victory of the Constitution, a victory of democratic self-respect. We are analysing the unexpected results of Haryana. We will inform the Election Commission about the complaints coming from many assembly constituencies. Heartfelt thanks to all the people of Haryana for their support and to our Babbar Sher workers for their tireless hard work. We will continue this fight for rights, for social and economic justice, for truth, and will keep raising your voice,” he wrote in his post.

The Congress has attributed its defeat in Haryana to “manipulation” while stating that it will lodge a complaint in this regard with the EC.

Poor show in polls

The BJP, however, has spared no opportunity to pillory Rahul on his party’s drubbing in the polls.

While the NC won 42 of the 90 seats in Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress could muster only six. The BJP won 29 seats.

Despite exit polls predicting a Congress win against an incumbent BJP in Haryana, the saffron party emerged victorious by bagging 48 of the 90 Assembly seats, leaving Congress with just 37 seats.

Digs and Jalebi jokes

Soon after the results were announced, several BJP leaders questioned Rahul’s silence on his party’s poor show in the polls with many cracking ‘jalebi jokes’ at him. It was a dig at one of Rahul’s election campaign rallies in Haryana during which he had showcased a box of the renowned jalebi-maker ‘Matu Ram halwai’ to assert how businesses like the sweetmeat sellers were suffering under the Narendra Modi regime.

Also read: Congress stares at seat-sharing hiccups after drubbing in Haryana, Jammu

The Haryana unit of BJP even sent a hamper of jalebis addressed to Rahul at the Congress headquarters in Delhi.

In a tart post, BJP’s IT chief Amit Malviya while accusing Rahul of displaying “arrogance” and “lack of grace” post polls also criticised him for not having the courtesy to congratulate Congress’ alliance partner NC on its stupendous performance.

'If arrogance had a face'

"If arrogance and lack of grace had a face, it would be Rahul Gandhi’s. Several hours after the defeat in Haryana, Rahul Gandhi, supreme leader of the Congress party, has not found the time to thank either the voters or workers. He has not had the courtesy to congratulate NC leadership for their performance in Kashmir," Amit Malviya said in a post on X.

"But then what else can you expect from a man who hasn’t even congratulated the longest serving non Congress PM, who won an unprecedented third term. This sense of entitlement of the Gandhis is nauseating," he added.

The bitterest of jibes came from Prime Minister Narendra Modi who accused the Congress of feeding off alliance partners.