Rahul Gandhi, who was notably active during Congress’s success in the June Lok Sabha elections, has remained silent following the party’s unexpected defeat in the Haryana Assembly elections on October 8. Despite the Congress failing to capitalize on the BJP’s 10-year anti-incumbency in Haryana, Rahul Gandhi and his sister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, have not commented on the loss.
In June, after Congress secured an impressive 99 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi was quick to hold a press conference where he criticized the BJP for “capturing institutions” and praised the people for “saving democracy.” In stark contrast, neither Rahul Gandhi nor Priyanka Gandhi have made any public statements following the dismal outcome in Haryana, where the BJP won 48 seats while the Congress managed only 37.
Other senior Congress leaders, including Jairam Ramesh and Pawan Khera, have addressed the media, questioning the Election Commission’s handling of the results. Ramesh alleged a delay in updating the Haryana poll results on the Commission’s website and claimed the EVMs had been manipulated. He also wrote to the Election Commission, criticizing the “inordinate and unacceptable delay” in updating the trends. However, the Election Commission dismissed these allegations.
While the Congress grappled with its defeat, the BJP seized the opportunity to mock its rival, accusing Congress of “crying” over its losses. The BJP also reminded Rahul Gandhi of his campaign remarks in Haryana, including a reference to jalebi that became the subject of derision following the defeat.
Although both Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi have maintained a conspicuous silence, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has offered a response. In a tweet, Mallikarjun Kharge called the Haryana result “unexpected” and said the party was conducting an internal assessment. He stated that the Congress would provide a detailed response after gathering information from ground workers.
Rahul Gandhi’s silence is a sharp contrast to his vocal stance during Congress’s win in the Lok Sabha elections earlier in the year. At the time, he had praised the people of Uttar Pradesh and hailed the INDIA bloc’s success, calling it a victory for the Constitution. He had also strongly criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for their leadership, stating the people had sent a clear message that they did not support their governance.
However, four months later, the Rahul Gandhis have yet to comment on the Haryana debacle, leaving political analysts and party supporters curious about their next move.
