“Stunning, Surprising”: Bhupinder Hooda On Haryana Election Results

Senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Tuesday said the outcome in Haryana was opposite to the atmosphere was in the state.

He also said the results came as a surprise to the party.

The BJP emerged victorious in 48 seats while the Congress won 26 seats and was leading in one seat, according to the Election Commission. The BJP is set to form the government for a third straight time, bucking anti-incumbency and overcoming the setback in Lok Sabha polls when its tally dropped from 10 in 2019 to five seats.

Replying to a question on the results, Mr Hooda told reporters, “The results have left us ‘achambhit’ (stunned) and the BJP must also be ‘achambhit’. These results are opposite to what the atmosphere was in the state.”

“What is the role of ‘tantra’ (system), we will probe. We lost many seats with low margins,” he further said.

“We received complaints from many places as well. The way the delay took place. Anyhow, the AICC will meet the ECI. There is no doubt that these (results) have left us ‘ascharyachakit’ (surprised),” Mr Hooda said.

Earlier in the day, the Congress raised with the Election Commission the issue of an “unexplained slowdown” in updating of results of Haryana elections on the poll watchdog’s website and urged it to direct officials to update accurate figures so that “false news and malicious narratives” can be countered immediately.

Dismissing talk of any factionalism in the party, Mr Hooda said the Congress was united in the elections.

“In a democratic party, anybody may have differences but there cannot be ‘manbhed’,” he said.

On Congress leader Kumari Selja blaming coordination in the party, Mr Hooda asked who was responsible for proper coordination. He then said it was everyone’s job.

Replying to a question on the Congress raising the issues pertaining to EVMs, he said, “There must be something. We received complaints from candidates.” To a query on the consolidation of non-Jat votes in favour of the BJP, he said there was nothing like that.

Asked about his next course of action, Mr Hooda said in a democracy “whatever is the people’s decision, we will accept it”.

On party leader Jairam Ramesh raising doubts over the results, Mr Hooda said, “We will accept it under protest.”

Asked again about the reason behind the defeat, he said the situation at the ground was completely in favour of change. “That is why I am saying, these (results) are surprising.”