Congress Confronts Haryana Poll Setback: Fact-Finding Initiative Launched

The Congress party held a review meeting following its unforeseen defeat in the Haryana Assembly polls. They decided to form a fact-finding team to investigate reasons for their defeat, and discrepancies in EVMs were discussed. The party will issue a detailed response based on the team's report.

In a strategic move to address the unexpected electoral defeat in Haryana, the Congress leadership convened a review meeting on Thursday. The senior party members discussed the shocking poll results and resolved to establish a fact-finding team. This team is tasked with communicating with all candidates to analyze the reasons for this debacle, including alleged discrepancies in electronic voting machines (EVMs) as reported by candidates.

Key figures in attendance included Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, ex-chief Rahul Gandhi, and AICC's KC Venugopal among others, but notable Haryana leaders were absent. The meeting sparked engagements with the Election Commission, aiming to secure EVMs under scrutiny. AICC Secretary Pranav Jha emphasized the need for adherence to formal briefings, warning against reliance on unofficial sources.

The Congress intends to thoroughly examine internal issues, including infighting and over-reliance on incumbents, that may have cost them a decade-old bid for power in Haryana. Initial confidence in overthrowing the BJP, which retains 48 assembly seats, was undermined by these setbacks, despite high exit poll projections favoring Congress.