New Delhi — Following the unexpected defeat of the Congress party in the Haryana Assembly elections, several of its allies have expressed sharp criticism, highlighting internal mismanagement and overconfidence as key factors behind the loss. The party’s inability to form effective alliances and control dissent among local leaders has come under intense scrutiny from coalition partners.
Shiv Sena’s Saamana Takes Aim at Congress
Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena faction, set to contest the upcoming Maharashtra elections alongside the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), delivered a scathing rebuke through its party mouthpiece, Saamana. The editorial criticized the Congress for failing to accommodate potential alliance partners such as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and for not managing the “disobedience of local leaders.” It lamented the Congress’s capacity to “turn a winning innings into a defeat,” suggesting that better coalition strategies could have altered the electoral outcome.
Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena’s No. 2 and a close confidante of party leader Uddhav Thackeray, emphasized the lack of alliances as a critical shortfall. “No INDIA gathbandhan in Haryana… Congress leaders were overconfident. Samajwadi Party or AAP could have been accommodated and the results would have been different,” Raut stated. Despite discussions between the Congress, led by Rahul Gandhi, and the AAP, negotiations fell through as state leaders, particularly those loyal to Mr. Hooda, were unwilling to compromise.
Trinamool Criticizes Congress for Seat-Sharing Attitude
Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress from West Bengal has also voiced its discontent. Trinamool MP Saket Gokhale condemned the Congress for its “arrogant” approach to seat-sharing, particularly in states where the party’s performance has been lackluster. “This attitude leads to electoral losses – ‘if we feel we’re winning, we will not accommodate regional party but, in states where we’re down, regional parties must accommodate us,'” Gokhale remarked.
Earlier in the year, Trinamool had withheld sharing more than a minimal number of the state’s 42 Lok Sabha seats, citing the Congress’s poor performance in previous elections. This stance has now been criticized as contributing to the broader failure of the anti-BJP alliance.
Internal Disarray Blamed for Electoral Setbacks
The Saamana editorial pointed to similar issues in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh last year, where the Congress’s reliance on veteran leaders like Kamal Nath and Bhupesh Baghel, rather than promoting younger leaders, led to internal disarray and subsequent victories for the BJP. “Last time, in MP and Chhattisgarh, there was a belief BJP would not come to power… but internal disarray of the Congress proved beneficial for the BJP,” the editorial asserted.
Looking Ahead
As the Congress party grapples with the fallout from the Haryana election loss, the criticisms from its allies underscore the urgent need for introspection and strategic realignment. Strengthening alliances and fostering unity among coalition partners may be crucial steps for the Congress to regain its footing in upcoming electoral battles.
