New Delhi: As the Haryana Assembly results come into focus, Congress insiders have pointed to internal infighting as a major reason for the party's losses in 17 constituencies. Congress rebels are said to have ensured the defeat of official candidates, with tensions between the Hooda and Selja factions, as well as reliance on poll strategist Sunil Kanugolu’s internal surveys for ticket distribution, exacerbating the problem. In Bahadurgarh, a Congress rebel candidate even secured a win.
Seats where the official Congress candidate could have won if not for party rebels include Dabwali, where the margin was just 610 votes while the rebel candidate garnered 2,000 votes. Other constituencies affected include Kalka, Rai, Safidon, Gohana, Ambala Cantt, Dadri, Tigaaon, and Sohna. In Ambala Cantt, the official Congress candidate finished third, while the rebel candidate received 53,000 votes.
The Congress relied heavily on Jat voters, who represent 27 per cent of the state’s electorate. While the party led in Jat-dominated areas like Kaithal, Baroda, Julana, Tohana, and others, key seats like Panipat Rural, Sonipat, Gohana, and Badhra swung in favor of the BJP, highlighting a missed opportunity to address non-Jat consolidation.
Insiders revealed that 72 tickets were distributed by the Hooda camp, with many ratified by poll strategist Kanugolu and state unit leaders. The party's campaign, largely outsourced to Kanugolu’s team, failed to address critical grievances within the ranks, including those of MP Kumari Selja, who publicly aired her concerns and did not campaign in the early stages. The party’s leadership has also not appointed district or block presidents for over 12 years, further hampering organizational strength.
The campaign focused on farmers' protests, the Agnipath scheme, and wrestlers’ protests, along with a 15 per cent rise in vote share during the Lok Sabha polls. Despite these efforts, the strategy failed to convert into electoral wins. Swaraj leader Yogendra Yadav was reportedly involved in advising the high command on seat distribution and strategy, although Yadav has denied this.
Following the defeat, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to review the results. In a post on X, Gandhi said the party was analyzing the "unexpected" results and would inform the Election Commission of complaints from various constituencies. He also thanked the people of Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir, calling INDIA's victory in J&K a "victory of the Constitution" and democratic values.
