Congress' Kumari Selja calls Haryana assembly election results "extremely disappointing"

New Delhi [India], October 8 (ANI): Congress MP Selja Kumar expressed her 'disappointment' on her party's performance in Haryana, as the latest trends by Election Comission of India show Bharatiya Janata Party returning to power for third straight term, ending the hopes of the Congress party, which was confident of forming government in the state.
She said that all the efforts of party workers have "gone to waste", adding that Congress party needs to introspect the results.
"The results are extremely disappointing. Our workers worked for so long, we went to villages with the message of Rahul Gandhi but after the results, it looks like all their efforts have gone to waste. The party needs to see this, the party will introspect. Such results should not have come," Selja told reporters on Tuesday.
According to the latest update from the Election Commission of India, BJP has won 47 seats and is leading on one other seat, while the Congress party has won 36 seats and is leading on one more. This is BJP's third consecutive victory in the state.
The 90 seats of Haryana went to polls in a single phase on October 5.

"We will have to make a fresh start and think about the shortcomings. We will have to see who all are responsible for such a results," Selja said.

Notably, Kumari Selja is the current Congress MP from Sirsa. She defeated BJP's Ashok Tanwar in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by a margin of 268,497 votes.

Selja who was eyeing the Chief Minister's post in Haryana, earlier while speaking to the ANI said that "no bargaining is happening with the party leaders regarding the Haryana Chief Minister's position, "What bargaining? In the Congress, ultimately our faith lies in the high command only. I still stand by them (Gandhi family) and will, they know that and are aware of that."

Meanwhile, another Congress candidate who was also seen a potential candidate for the CM's post, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, won by a margin of 71,465 votes from Garhi Sampla-Kiloi constituency on Tuesday. He defeated Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Manju.

Earlier in the day, Jairam Ramesh, Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications, alleged that there is a slowing down in uploading up-to-date trends in the Haryana Assembly election's vote counting on the Election Commission website.

In its official reply, the Election Commission of India (ECI) dismissed these concerns, stating that the counting of votes is being conducted as per Rule 60 of the Conduct of Election Rules.

"With reference to your today's Memorandum regarding the slowdown in updating the results of Haryana on the ECI Website, it is reiterated that the entire counting process in Haryana and J-K is unfolding in the presence of candidates, observers, and micro-observers as per the Statutory scheme. There is nothing on record to substantiate your ill-founded allegation of the slowdown in updating of results. Your Memorandum also does not bring out any contrary facts as to the delay at any of the constituencies in Haryana or J-K," said ECI in its response to Ramesh's memorandum. (ANI)