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Congress’ Shamsher Singh Gogi blames infighting, ‘polarisation’ of votes for party’s loss in Haryana
Gogi also mentioned how the BJP was able to polarise votes in its favour by playing out the narrative of his party workers who were confident of formation of “Hooda Sarkar” and while demanding a change in leadership, he claimed that the party lost SC votes in the state.
Former Congress MLA Shamsher Singh Gogi, who lost Assandh seat to Bharatiya Janata Party, on Wednesday lashed out at his party for infighting and said that the “babu-beta” of the party should take the blame for the party’s loss in the state.
Gogi also mentioned how the BJP was able to polarise votes in its favour by playing out the narrative of his party workers who were confident of formation of “Hooda Sarkar” and while demanding a change in leadership, he claimed that the party lost SC votes in the state, due to the resentment of Sirsa MP Kumari Selja.
“I believe, it was not the Congress that was contesting against the BJP, it was the bapu-beta duo. They had the command. Even if we have won, they would have claimed the credit. Now, as we have lost, they should take the blame,” Gogi said in an apparent reference to former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his MP son Deepender Hooda.
Gogi, a close aid of Selja and a vocal leader, is a former MLA from Assandh seat of Karnal. He was recontesting from the constituency, but lost to BJP’s district president and party candidate Yoginder Rana by a margin of 2306 votes.
He was in New Delhi to meet Selja at her residence and spoke to media on the issue that went viral.
Later, speaking to reporters at his Karnal residence, Gogi said that the internal feud and polarisation of votes by the BJP, are the primary reasons behind the party’s loss in the elections. He was referring to polartisation of Jat-Non Jat votes, but did not name any of the community.
“First, they (BJP) tried to polarise the Hindu-Sikh voters but failed. But when the excited party leaders started claiming that Hooda sarkar will be formed soon, rather than naming Congress. The narrative of Hooda sarkar was played by the BJP and spread a rumour among the communities,” the Congress leader said.
Gogi did not stop here. He pointed out that during party’s senior leader Rahul Gandhi’s rally in Haryana at Assandh, Hooda did not mention his name once.
“Later, his supporters sent out a message that Hooda sahab was not here to seek votes for Gogi,” he said.
The former legislator further requested the party high command to conduct an introspection meeting, particularly by speaking with the 90 candidates who won and lost.
“They know everything, but choose not to speak. They only sent a narrative of one-way traffic,” he said, referring to giving a free-hand to Hooda, and added, “We also lost SC votes due to Selja’s resentment in whole state. We also felt so on our seat. I will keep all this before the high command, when they will call us. I will demand a new leadership in the state.”
