Congress Forms 8-Member Committee to Investigate Haryana Election Defeat

Committee headed by Bhupinder Singh Hooda's in-law Karan Singh Dalal to focus on EVM concerns and internal party conflicts, while member Virender Rathore claims manipulation in 14 crucial constituencies.

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November 5, 2024

The Haryana Congress party has taken a significant step by forming an 8-member committee to investigate the reasons behind its defeat in the recent state assembly elections. The committee, appointed by state Congress President Chaudhary Udaibhan, is headed by Karan Singh Dalal, who is former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda's in-law.

Committee Structure and Focus Areas

The committee comprises eight members, including five defeated candidates from the recent elections. Notable members include party legal cell chief KC Bhatia, Nuh MLA Aftab Ahmed, and defeated candidates Virender Rathore, Vijay Pratap Singh, Virender Bulle Shah, Dr. Manisha Sangwan, and former MLA Jaivir Valmiki. Their primary focus will be on examining EVM-related issues and investigating internal party conflicts that may have contributed to the party's defeat.

Controversial Claims and EVM Concerns

Committee member Virender Rathore has raised serious concerns about the election results. He mentioned receiving a WhatsApp message before vote counting began that predicted manipulation of results in 14 specific constituencies through data file uploads. Rathore questioned how anyone could know about these particular seats before counting began, noting that these same constituencies ultimately proved decisive in preventing Congress from forming the government.

BJP's Performance Under Scrutiny

The committee is also analyzing the BJP's victory pattern, with Rathore pointing out interesting statistics. He highlighted that despite 10 out of BJP's cabinet ministers losing their elections and 11 candidates forfeiting their deposits, the party still managed to win 48 seats out of 69 contested seats. The committee plans to investigate this unusual victory pattern as part of their comprehensive review.

The committee is expected to submit its report within a week after meeting with both winning and losing candidates across all 90 assembly constituencies. This investigation runs parallel to the fact-finding committee already sent by the Congress high command, whose report is yet to be made public.