Jalebi is trending, but it's not sweet news for Rahul Gandhi

Jalebi started trending on Tuesday as the Haryana election results started coming in, and became clear that the Congress had failed to overthrow the BJP government. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had made jalebi a poll issue, and the BJP took a sweet revenge on Tuesday.

To go in circles before making an actual point is expected in politics. What is not expected is to involve the coiled jalebi in politics. But Rahul Gandhi managed to do just that. And on Tuesday, as the Congress was on course to lose the Haryana assembly election, jalebis trended on social media platforms.

It was Rahul Gandhi who brought jalebi -- a coiled sweet batter fried and soaked in syrup -- to Haryana politics. The BJP supporters latched on to the coiled sweet to give it back to Rahul Gandhi.

This is how the jalebi saga actually began.

On the campaign trail, Haryana Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda gifted Rahul Gandhi Maturam's Jalebi. It turned out to be "the best jalebi" the Gandhi family scion had eaten in his entire 54 years. Rahul did not stop there. He said that everyone should be able to have these jalebis. For that, jalebis needed to be produced in a factory, at an industrial scale. Then, jalebis became a political affair.

RAHUL GANDHI AND THE JALEBI FACTORY IN HARYANA

This is what Gandhi said after he first tasted the "best jalebis" of his life. The jalebis were from Lala Maturam Halwai, a popular shop in Gohana, a city in Haryana.

"I tasted jalebi in the car and sent a message to my sister Priyanka that today I have eaten the best jalebi of my life. I am bringing a box of jalebi for you too." said Rahul Gandhi. He added that he had told the Haryana Congress leaders that the jalebis of Gohana should reach all corners of India and the world.

It is, after all, said, the quickest way to reach people's heart is through their stomachs. It might also be the best way to gather their attention.

Rahul Gandhi tried to reach out to the people of Haryana through Maturam's jalebi. After all, what better way to reach people than to openly declare your love for their favourite jalebis.

Then, came the sugar-coated promise of employment.

"If this jalebi goes to the country and abroad, then perhaps their shop will turn into a factory and thousands of people will get employment," he added.

Even three days before the Haryana election results, Rahul Gandhi posted an Instagram video discussing the delicious Maturam's Jalebi and how it should be spread across India along with other such businesses.

"Recently, I spoke about the delicious jalebis in Gohana and the opportunity to sell them more widely," the post read.

'PHOTO SHOOTS' AND JALEBI IN HARYANA POLITICS

But the BJP has not missed an opportunity to attack this confession of love for jalebis.

It has trolled Rahul Gandhi, and even informed him that "jalebi factories do not exist".

Even on Tuesday, as results showed that the BJP was headed to form the government in Haryana for a record third term, the BJP couldn't resist reminding the Congress of its jalebi tactics.

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan spoke about Rahul Gandhi's "photo shoots".

"The thing is, Rahul Gandhi sometimes takes a team to the field for photo shoots, or he eats jalebi to show off. But the public sees everything – they know who is working and who is just putting on a show," he said, reports IANS.

Even X is currently filled with jalebi jalebi-centered jibes at the Congress.

"The happiest person in Haryana today," posted satirist Kamlesh Singh, with an image of Maturam jalebi shop. "Factory ban jaati to Inka business ka nuksaan hota (Would have faced losses if a factory had been built)," added Singh, who is popular as Tau in Teen Taal podcast.

Click here to watch the latest episode of Aaj Tak Radio's Teen Taal podcast.

"Maturam jalebi, congress farebi," read another post on X. The post accompanied a video in which the Maturam shopkeeper was seen saying that the jalebis for Rahul weren't from his shop.

"Congress is in a web of jalebi factories. Beating all exit polls, BJP to get hat-trick in Haryana," said another X user.

"People of Haryana have chosen Semi Conductor factory over Jalebi Factory," wrote a BJP supporter.

After the election results, the BJP has had the last laughs and the last jalebis.

The BJP's Haryana handle also celebrated its win with Jalebis.

"Dipender bhai the jalebi box did not arrive," its post read, responding to Deepender Hooda's post of sending a box of jalebis after Congress won.

As did @BJPTamilNadu.

"Serving piping hot jalebis to you, Hope you are not diabetic @INC Kerela," its post on X read.

Rajasthan CM Bhajanlal Sharma even took to making jalebis to celebrate the win of the BJP in Haryana.

Now that the battle has been decided and a jalebi factory isn't coming up in Haryana in the next 5 years at least, the humble jalebi has got the time to recuperate after being thrown into the boiling-hot electoral wok.