‘Haryana result unexpected’: Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge reacts after BJP’s hat-trick, says ’checking facts...’

While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to return to power in Haryana for the third consecutive term, having won 48 seats in the 90-member assembly, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday said the result was unexpected.

Taking to microblogging platform X (formerly known as Twitter), the Congress chief said the grand old party is assessing public opinion. After talking to ground workers and checking the facts, the party will release a detailed report on the issue.

“The result of Haryana is unexpected. The party is assessing the public opinion. After talking to our ground workers, getting complete information and checking the facts, a detailed response will come from the party,” Kharge said.

Thanking the people of Haryana for voting for the grand old party, the Congress chief urged the party ground workers not to feel disappointed over the unexpected result. Kharge added that Congress' fight against dictatorship is a long one.

“We thank the people of Haryana for voting for the Congress party. Our hardworking workers need not feel disappointed. Our fight against dictatorship is a long one,” Kharge said.

Kharge also congratulated National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and vice president Omar Abdullah—the head of the NC-Congress coalition government in the Union territory—over their spectacular victory.

The Congress chief said this mandate has been given by the people of Jammu and Kashmir against the anti-people policies of the BJP, violation and oppression of people's rights and misuse of constitutional institutions.

“Our coalition government will make every effort to fully fulfil your aspirations. The INDIA coalition is fully committed to protecting your well-being and constitutional rights,” Kharge added.

It is important to note that the National Conference-Congress alliance has won 48 seats in Jammu and Kashmir, with the Congress bagging six, while the BJP secured 29 seats in the assembly polls.

In Haryana, the Congress, which was expecting to win the assembly polls due to the anti-incumbency factor, could win only 37 seats, while the BJP managed to win 48, staging a victory for the third time in a row.