Haryana Debacle: Congress’s Fate Could Have Been Different if It Had Handled Rebels Well on At Least 9 Seats

Rajesh Joon, who was denied a ticket by the Congress, ran as an Independent in the Haryana assembly elections and managed to win the Bahadurgarh seat, defeating his former party by a significant margin. This victory highlights the impact of rebels on the Congress party’s chances in the state, as it is estimated that the party could have won nine more seats if it had handled rebel candidates better. The Congress has been out of power in Haryana since 2014, and this election was seen as an opportunity for a comeback. However, internal conflicts and rebel candidates ultimately led to the party falling short of the majority needed to form a government. The analysis of the election results shows that in several seats, Independents who rebelled against the Congress ended up damaging the party’s chances, with some finishing ahead of Congress candidates. If the party had managed rebels better and trusted the right candidates, the outcome of the election could have been different.