The Congress party expressed shock and disbelief over the election results in Haryana, claiming they cannot accept the outcome after early leads in their favor shifted to a decisive victory for the BJP. The party had previously submitted a letter to the Election Commission, raising concerns about an “unexplained slowdown” in the updating of results.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh highlighted the potential for “bad-faith actors” to exploit the situation, stating, “This allows narratives that undermine the process. We fear these narratives could influence counting processes still underway.” In response, the Election Commission dismissed these allegations, asserting that updates were being provided approximately every five minutes across constituencies.
During a press conference, Ramesh described the results as “totally unexpected” and “counter-intuitive,” arguing that they contradicted the will of the Haryana electorate for change and transformation. He stated, “What we have seen today is a victory for manipulation, subverting the will of the people, and a defeat for transparent democratic processes. The chapter on Haryana is not complete.”
Ramesh mentioned serious complaints regarding the counting process and the functioning of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in at least three districts. He indicated that more information would be gathered to present to the Election Commission soon.
When questioned about the party’s performance, including the loss of 16 sitting MLAs, Ramesh acknowledged that introspection would come later but emphasized, “The most important thing now is that victory has been snatched from us. The system has been misused.”
He pointed out that serious questions have emerged regarding the integrity of the counting process and the EVMs, noting instances where candidates leading by substantial margins lost by narrow votes, suggesting manipulation and pressure were at play.
Ramesh concluded that while the Election Commission remains the party’s first course of action, they would assess further legal steps as necessary based on the response received.
