Haryana election results: INDIA bloc allies ask Congress to recalibrate poll strategy

The Congress’s INDIA bloc allies have questioned the party’s election strategy after its shocking loss in the Haryana assembly elections. They said the Mallikarjun Kharge-led party needs to rethink its strategy before assembly elections in Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Delhi.

After trailing in the initial rounds during the counting of votes, the BJP made a stunning comeback and ended up winning 48 out of 90 seats. The Congress, which was touted to win the polls riding on anti-incumbency against the ruling party, could win only 37 seats.

AAP leaders took a jibe at the Congress, saying the biggest lesson that can be drawn from the poll debacle is that one shouldn’t be overconfident. Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena-UBT and CPI also questioned the Congress’ strategy for the assembly elections.

While Arvind Kejriwal took the overconfident jibe, Manish Sisodia said the people of Haryana wanted to defeat the BJP in the assembly elections but the Congress failed to win due to problems in their election strategy.

Shiv Sena-UBT leader Priyanka Chaturvedi said the results of the Haryana elections will not have any impact in Maharashtra, where elections are likely to be held next month. She, however, asked the Congress to recalibrate its election strategy.

CPI general secretary D Raja wanted the Congress to do serious introspection over the poll results in Haryana and take along all INDIA bloc partners in the upcoming polls in Maharashtra and Jharkhand.

“Congress party will have to do serious introspection. It has to do some self-critical assessment of its strategy and tactics,” he said.

This comes amid the Congress’s seat-sharing talks with Shiv Sena-UBT and NCP-SP in Maharashtra. Uddhav Thackeray has asked the Congress and NCP-SP to declare their chief ministerial pick ahead of the elections.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh advised its allies in Maharashtra to observe coalition dharma.

“In Maharashtra, I want to remind you that in the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress was in the first place and ‘coalition dharma’ is that we discuss issues between ourselves and not through the media,” he added.

“We are in alliance in Maharashtra, it is our responsibility to strengthen the alliance. We will not say anything about our allies,” he added.