Introspect: INDIA bloc allies to Congress after Haryana Assembly elections defeat

While the Congress is refusing to accept the Haryana election defeat by alleging irregularities in the poll process, many of the party's allies in the INDIA bloc mocked its poor poll show and asked the Grand Old Party to introspect.

The Shiv Sena (UBT), INDIA bloc member and Congress' ally in poll-bound Maharashtra, chose its official mouthpiece 'Saamana' to ridicule the Congress' poll show in Haryana, calling it "the Congress' art to lose battles".

"INDIA block won in Jammu and Kashmir because Congress fought the elections in alliance, but it went solo in Haryana and ignored alliance partners there. It faced defeat despite people being upset with the BJP. Congress has the art to lose battles that could be easily won," the 'Saamana' noted. "Even in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, the same thing happened. Internal issues prevailed within the party, which led to the party losing both the states," it added


Omar Abdullah, leader of the National Conference which won the J&K poll with minimum support from ally Congress, also advised the main Opposition to do some introspection on why it lost to BJP in Haryana. "The BJP formed the government for the third time in Haryana. The Congress will need to have deep deliberations on this, but that is not my work," he said.

Trinamool Congress also took on the Congress, by targeting its arrogance to ignore allies in many states. "This attitude leads to electoral losses. If we feel we're winning, we will not accommodate any regional party. But in states where we're down, regional parties must accommodate us. Arrogance, entitlement, and looking down on regional parties are a recipe for disaster. Learn!" TMC MP Saket Gokhlae posted on X, without naming the Congress but leaving no one in doubt about the target.

Political circles see these comments as the beginning of the positioning within the INDIA bloc after the Congress continued to fail in its direct electoral duels against the BJP. The RJD and Left Parties also asked the Congress to introspect on the Haryana debacle.