Haryana Congress fight out in open after loss, Kumari Selja targets Hoodas

A blame game began in the Congress on Tuesday after it failed in its bid to come back to power in Haryana after 10 years.

In Short

• BJP set to form government with 48 seats, while Congress bags only 35
• Kumari Selja calls for strategy to revitalise party, hold people accountable for loss
• Indirectly criticises Bhupinder Hooda's leadership in Haryana

Discontent among the Congress leadership in Haryana became more evident on Tuesday even before the declaration of final results, with Congress leader Kumari Selja launching a veiled attack on Bhupinder Singh Hooda, under whose leadership the party contested the polls and failed to win the state. She asserted that the party's national leadership needs to devise a strategy to revitalise the party in the state and to identify those accountable for its underperformance in the Haryana Assembly elections.

Selja also insisted on the necessity of pinpointing individuals who undermined the party's efforts to regain power in the state.

"Pained by Congress workers' disappointment, I am confident the party high command will assess the reasons for the defeat. The high command should formulate a plan to help revive the party in Haryana and identify those responsible for the results," Shelja told reporters.

She asserted, "It will not be business as usual in Haryana and I am sure the Congress high command would identify those who negated the efforts to bring the party to power after 10 years".

The BJP is expected to form the government in the state for the third consecutive time as it leads in 48 seats in the 90-member assembly. Congress, which aimed to return to power after 10 years, is limited to 37 seats.

Selja, Congress Lok Sabha MP and former union minister said, "I'm sure the party will look into all aspects that led to such results in Haryana". She also mentioned that the factors affecting the organisation include taking everyone along and ensuring coordination among all the leaders.

Factionalism was evident in the Haryana Congress well ahead of the Assembly elections. Selja, on multiple occasions, had voiced her concerns against Hooda's leadership, often in public.

Allegations were raised against Bhupinder Hooda, former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, claiming that he was attempting to control the state unit of the Congress. Before the polls, referring to him, Selja had stated, "There are many people who want to go it alone. I cannot say anything when someone is determined not to cooperate".

The Hooda camp's push to name Bhupinder Hooda as the party Chief Minister face was also opposed by Selja. "Whenever there is a party government, the Chief Minister leads the election. As per past practice, the party never projects anyone when we are in the opposition," she said earlier.

Congress, which secured five out of ten Lok Sabha seats in the recent election, and saw its vote share rise from 28.42 per cent in 2019 to 43.67 per cent, was expecting a comeback in Haryana. However, Congress's inability to navigate internal strife and present a united front hindered its efforts to translate its Lok Sabha poll success into a victory in the state assembly.