Weak candidates on 10-15 seats led to defeat in Assembly poll: Haryana Congress incharge

Haryana Congress incharge Deepak Babaria today admitted to wrong ticket distribution on 10–15 seats in the Assembly elections and cited factionalism as the reason for it.

Babaria made the comments in Delhi on the sidelines of a meeting of a committee formed over the Haryana elections. Candidates who filed election petitions attended the meeting. It was Babaria’s first meeting with Haryana Congress leaders after his illness.

Groupism cost party dear

Had everybody thought objectively to give tickets to good candidates and had risen over groupism, the Congress would have formed the government in the state

Deepak Babaria, Haryana Congress

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“Had everybody thought objectively to give tickets to good candidates and had risen over groupism, the Congress would have formed the government in the state,” said Babaria, citing weak candidates on 10–15 seats as one of the reasons for the defeat.

Alleging EVM tampering and replacements, he claimed that the BJP committed a daylight robbery and no one could discount it. “The BJP stole those seats where the margin would have been more than 50 per cent. They committed manipulations in 15 seats. We made a mistake in giving tickets for 14–15 seats. Otherwise, we would have got 65 seats,” he said.

He admitted to receiving a WhatsApp message on the morning of the counting of votes that the Congress would lose 14 seats because of EVM tampering. “Few things are secret. I had shared the message with whom I should have, even with people at the top. I did my duty,” he said.

On state party president Udai Bhan’s charge that he informed them late about the WhatsApp message, he replied, “People claim this should have been done or that should have been done for lack of knowledge.”

It was also claimed in the WhatsApp message to Babaria that the BJP would get 46 to 49 seats while the Congress would be reduced to 36 to 38 seats. The BJP, in the end, got 48 seats and the Congress 37.

“If the Supreme Court takes the congnisance in a right manner and the Election Commission presents facts with honesty, the new government wouldn’t be able to see 2025,” said Babaria.

“Had there been the party organisation in place, the results would have been better,” he admitted. He objected to senior leaders projecting themselves as CM during the campaign.

After the defeat, Babaria had submitted his resignation, but it has not been accepted yet. “My resignation has been pending with the high command. I am the Congress party’s soldier…Till I am incharge, I will work till last…,” he added.