Why Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Wish’, Which Came 24 Hours After Poll Results, May Not Be Haryana Congress Cadre’s Command

Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday posted on X about the Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) poll results. As expected, he blamed the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) for the shocking results for the Congress in Haryana. But that’s not the only news here.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also been attacking Gandhi for being away in Dubai on the day of results. Also, the fact that he didn’t wish party workers or leaders and ally Jammu and Kashmir National Conference’s (NC) Omar Abdullah on X for the entire day.

He finally did but after 24 hours.

Gandhi in his post on X said: “My heartfelt thanks to the people of Jammu and Kashmir – India’s victory in the state is a victory of the Constitution, a victory of democratic self-respect. We are analysing the unexpected results of Haryana. We will inform the Election Commission about the complaints coming from many assembly constituencies. Heartfelt thanks to all the people of Haryana for their support and to our Babbar Sher workers for their tireless hard work. We will continue this fight for rights, for social and economic justice, for truth, and will keep raising your voice.”

The BJP has made this an issue to project Gandhi as a non-serious and runaway neta.

Amit Malviya posted on X: “If arrogance and lack of grace had a face, it would be Rahul Gandhi’s. Several hours after the defeat in Haryana, Rahul Gandhi, supreme leader of the Congress party, has not found the time to thank either the voters or the workers.”

Gandhi’s absence on critical days has always been the talk of the town. In the context of these assembly polls, he was away to the US on a prescheduled visit and the feeling is that some of his comments on Sikhs and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) hurt the Congress. It may have galvanised the RSS cadre to hit the ground and give a reply to Gandhi on this.

His absence on a day when the results were out has not gone down well with many workers who were looking forward to meeting him. The contrast and comparison made with the BJP and Narendra Modi was heard in the corridors of the Congress. Many workers told News18 that even if the Congress lost, it would have been nice if the leader had been there.

Gandhi has only given ammunition to the BJP to project him as a non-serious leader and also demoralised the cadre after the high of the Lok Sabha polls and becoming the Leader of Opposition.