The Congress Party has found itself under intense criticism from its political allies following a surprise defeat in the Haryana Assembly elections. Despite early trends indicating a comfortable victory, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 49 out of 90 seats, delivering a significant blow to Congress. The unexpected outcome has prompted a barrage of pointed remarks from Congress’s own allies in the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), many of whom blamed the party’s leadership and strategy for the loss.
Leading the charge was the Trinamool Congress (TMC), with party spokesperson Saket Gokhale accusing Congress of displaying “arrogance” and an entitled attitude towards regional parties. Gokhale’s sharp criticism, posted on X (formerly Twitter), highlighted what he called a dangerous disconnect between Congress and its regional allies. “Arrogance, entitlement, and looking down on regional parties is a recipe for disaster,” he wrote, adding that Congress had adopted a flawed approach by refusing to work with regional players when in a position of strength.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi also weighed in, urging Congress to rethink its electoral strategy, particularly in states where it faces direct competition from the BJP. “The Congress party needs to think about its strategy because wherever there is a direct fight with the BJP, the Congress party gets weakened,” Chaturvedi said, further emphasizing the need for introspection.
Adding to the chorus of criticism, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) made it clear that it would no longer align itself with Congress in future elections. AAP leader Raghav Chadha took a veiled swipe at Congress with a cryptic post on X in Urdu, hinting at missed opportunities for collaboration between the two parties. His post reflected on how things could have been different had the Congress been more open to accommodating AAP ahead of the Haryana elections.
AAP Spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar announced that the party would contest the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections alone, criticizing both Congress and the BJP. “On one side it’s the overconfident Congress and on the other side, it’s the arrogant BJP. We will contest the election based on what we have done in Delhi in the last 10 years,” she stated.
Within Congress, discontent is simmering as party leaders reflect on the defeat. Senior leader and former union minister Margaret Alva attributed the loss to poor management and internal conflicts. “The large number of rebel candidates points to poor party management. Public squabbles and a campaign that made many sections of Haryana society insecure all contributed to turning a sure win into a loss,” she wrote on X. Alva also drew on her past experience, noting that during her tenure as AICC General Secretary in charge of Haryana, balancing party unity and individual aspirations was crucial for victory.
Kumari Selja, Congress MP from Sirsa, expressed disappointment at the party’s poor showing and called for a thorough analysis of the reasons behind the loss. She also made a thinly veiled reference to former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his son Deepinder Hooda, suggesting a lack of accountability within the state leadership.
Meanwhile, Omar Abdullah, leader of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, sarcastically remarked on Congress’s performance, acknowledging that the party would likely review its strategy in the aftermath of the defeat. “The BJP pulled the Haryana twist out of nowhere. I am sure Congress will sit back and analyze later,” Abdullah said.
The fallout from the Haryana election results has left Congress facing tough questions about its internal cohesion and its approach to regional politics. Allies and party members alike are calling for a major shift in strategy if Congress hopes to mount a serious challenge to the BJP in upcoming state and national elections.
