Over dependence on Jat votes, infighting, overdependence on the Hoodas are being seen as some of the key factors that led to the party’s defeat
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with party leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda during a public meeting ahead of the Haryana Assembly elections. (PTI Photo)
As the BJP heads to its third straight term in Haryana proving exit polls wrong, the words of Prime Minister Narendra Modi seem to be turning true.
Despite being dismissed by the Congress, Modi had repeatedly pointed out in his Haryana rallies that the party ruling the Centre has always won the state.
As the results show the BJP retaining power in a state where it was said to have faced massive anti-incumbency, farmers’ wrath and wrestlers’ protests, here is a look at what the Congress did wrong.
Over dependence on Jat voters
The Congress relied heavily on Jat voters, who comprise almost 27% of the state’s electorate. Among the Jat-dominated seats, the Congress was leading at 2 pm in Kaithal, Baroda, Julana, Uchana Kalan, Tohana, Dabwali, Ellenabad, Narnaund, Meham, Garhi Sampla-Kiloi and Badli, but several others like Panipat Rural, Sonipat, Gohana, Badhra, Jhajjar voted in the BJP’s favour.
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The Muslim vote bank, however, remained firmly behind the Congress. Its Ferozepur Jhirka candidate, Mamman Khan, won by a huge majority of 98,441 votes while two other Muslim-dominated seats of Nuh and Punahana also are likely to fall in the Congress’s kitty.
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Infighting hurts grand old party
Internal feuds, especially the one between Dalit leader and Sirsa MP Kumari Selja and former CM and Jat leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda, seems to have played a key role in the party’s loss.
Selja, who was miffed with the party for preferring Hooda’s candidates, stayed away from the final stages of the campaign for a few days and had to be pacified into resuming it. Moreover, she repeatedly staked claim to the CM’s chair, exposing the rift in the party.
This provided ammo to the BJP, which accused the Congress of being anti-Dalit. It also gave the BJP an opportunity to claim that unlike the BJP, which went into the election under the leadership of CM Nayab Singh Saini, the Congress had no clarity on the CM face. With Saini belonging to the OBC community, the BJP consolidated the non-Jat vote bank in its favour.
Problem of plenty
The Congress, which had received 2,565 applications from ticket aspirants in the run-up to the Assembly polls, chose to announce candidates in eight lists – the last one coming on the last day of filing nomination – in order to quell rebellion.
The aspirants who did not secure nominations rebelled and their supporters did not vote for the party. The party also received a big jolt when veteran leader Kiran Choudhry and her daughter Shruti quit and joined the Congress while accusing the Hoodas of fomenting trouble within the party.
“Both the Hoodas have been going around all the 90 constituencies and assuring their supporters of party tickets but they do not realise that those who will not get the ticket will turn against the party and this will impact its prospects,” Kiran had said.
Eventually, this proved to be one of the vital factors in Congress’ loss.
Overconfidence
Following its improved performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections, where the Congress won 5 of the 10 seats in the state, its leaders became more aggressive.ts in the state, its leaders became more aggressive.
Relying heavily on the farmers’ protest, wrestlers’ protests, the Agnipath scheme and buoyed by the 15% rise in vote share in the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress’ campaign revolved only around these issues but failed to translate into votes for the party.
Choice of candidates
With 72 Hooda “loyalists” being picked as the party’s nominees, other leaders complained to the Congress high command that loyal workers and supporters were feeling betrayed due to the lopsided candidate selection.
Hooda, who was given a free hand by the high command, failed to deliver results as only 13 of the 28 Congress MLAs recommended by him could win.
