The BJP’s thumping victory in the Haryana Assembly Elections has left the Congress scrambling for answers. BJP-RSS bonded to give a strong performance powered by grassroots mobilization and strategic narratives. Add to the mix the unraveling of Rahul Gandhi’s ill-timed rhetoric, the BJP has firmly established itself as the state’s political powerhouse. Here’s how it happened.
RSS Support In Haryana: BJP’s Hidden Strength
RSS in Haryana.
Great to see they are in Hyper Active mode now .
All internal issues between RSS & BJP settled . They know MatraBhumi Bharat is beyond any Egos .Proud to be swayamsewak. pic.twitter.com/W04IkHhLcP
— Vikram Pratap Singh (@VIKRAMPRATAPSIN) August 23, 2024
Behind every BJP victory, the RSS plays a crucial role. In Haryana, the Sangh Parivar’s influence was undeniable. The organization mobilized its extensive network to galvanize voters in key districts. From helping coordinate booth-level strategy to spreading the party’s message in rural areas, the RSS ensured that the BJP stayed one step ahead.
16,000 RSS Sabhas in 4 months built an unbeatable link with the voters on the ground!
The Silent Warrior
He comes, he delivers and moves on
Thank you to each and every Karyakarta of RSS
RSS did 16000 Sabha’s in 2 Months in Haryana🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/uAi9HGvUOm
— The Jaipur Dialogues (@JaipurDialogues) October 8, 2024
The Congress, on the other hand, seemed ill-prepared to counter this deep-rooted connection. The RSS’s work didn’t show up in campaign speeches or flashy rallies. However, it certainly showed up in the vote count. Consequently, the common man felt the presence of an organized, disciplined force that championed PM Modi’s vision of development, which resonated deeply with many.
Rahul Gandhi’s Jalebi Plan Goes Sour In Haryana
Vintage Rahul Gandhi is back🤣
Rahul Gandhi came up with a new business idea and employment model-
"Jalebi ki factory"Jalebi is eaten fresh from nearby sweet shops but Rahul Gandhi says Jalebi sud be produced in the factory and it can give employment to 50,000 people in every… pic.twitter.com/DnDwK17F6d
— STAR Boy TARUN (@Starboy2079) October 2, 2024
This Assembly election marks the 88th election loss for Congress under Rahul Gandhi. The Gandhi Parivaar Shehzada tried very hard to regain lost ground with his infamous ‘Jalebi Factory’ promise. He built castles in the air about sending Haryana’s Jalebi to the world from factories that would employ 10,000 – 50,000 of its youth!
"This is not a factory item" While reacting to Rahul Gandhi's statement on Jalebi, Manoj Gupta of Maturam Halwai of Gohana said this.
After showing the sweets of his shop, Rahul Gandhi had talked about setting up a Jalebi factory. Congress has lost from Gohana constituency by… pic.twitter.com/oSRTcpmRBJ
— Baba Banaras™ (@RealBababanaras) October 8, 2024
In his recent US visit, during a public interview, he promised to remove reservations when the need for it is gone!
However, his idea on the reservation policy didn’t go down well with his SC-ST supporters in India. Instead of coming off as sharp and visionary, the INC’s leader looked like political fluff – confusing, and a bit laughable.
Rahul Gandhi says Congress will remove Reservation when India is a fair place.
Wonder what Dalit Leaders have to say about it? pic.twitter.com/KmesZInIdI
— Ankur Singh (@iAnkurSingh) September 10, 2024
His comments didn’t address the real concerns of voters. Haryana’s electorate wasn’t interested in Jalebi Factories. They wanted clarity on job creation and economic stability. The SC-ST wanted reservation security! Rahul Gandhi’s attempt to simplify the issue by linking it to a ‘Jalebi Factory’ ended up making Congress look out of touch with reality. His rhetoric became the butt of jokes on social media, with memes mocking the failed concept, and BJP leaders capitalized on this narrative blunder.
Congress’s Job-for-Cash Scandal: A Self-Inflicted Wound
This is the bitter reality of Haryana. Except BJP all previous Govts followed the Parchi-Kharchi model for giving jobs. This system corrupted the mindset of every citizen of Haryana. That's why congress leaders r openly promising people to bring back cash 4 job system again
— Sushil Tyagi (@SushilTyagi901) September 22, 2024
If there’s one thing voters hate, it’s corruption. And viral Congress job-for-cash promise couldn’t have hit the social media at a worse time. Just as the election campaign was heating up, the video of Congress leaders promising jobs for cash or votes surfaced, shaking whatever faith remained in the party’s ability to govern. Congress leaders presented themselves as corrupt and mired in favoritism to their own castes.
And Jobs-for-Cash helped the BJP deliver a painful electoral blow that was as much moral as political.
BJP seized the moment. They didn’t need to dig deep to expose Congress’s flaws; the scandal did it for them. The BJP’s top brass used this scandal in every possible way. They reminded the voters of the Congress era of management that had rotted the roots of the state’s machinery. They showcased INC as more interested in filling their pockets than solving Haryana’s problems. It became clear that Congress’s anti-corruption rhetoric was hollow, and voters punished them for it on the voting machine.
The ‘Jats Stand With Hooda’ Ideology Misfired
For months, political pundits had predicted that Jats were consolidated behind the Deepender Hooda brand. This influential community in Haryana was angry with the BJP and its anger was evident in the Lok Sabha 2024 results. And the Hooda family wanted to use this narrative to drive their way back into power.
This conversation we had with a group of non Jat voters in Haryana was quite telling. Re upping a shorter version of the conversation. #HaryanaElections pic.twitter.com/9FnXDVk3ib
— bhupendra chaubey (@bhupendrachaube) October 8, 2024
However, the united non-Jat communities cast their vote to prevent a one-sided Jat domination in Haryana.
And BJP reaped the benefit of this one the ballot box!
BJP’s efforts to unite other castes, especially the 40% SC-ST vote bank into rejecting the lie of caste politics paid huge dividends. Increasing the creamy layer limit from 6 lakhs to 8 lakhs helped bring the OBC voters behind the BJP. The ‘bina parchi, bina kharchi’ promise for jobs was better than a Jat-dominated public sector. While Congress focused on identity politics, the BJP focused on practical issues that voters cared about – jobs, infrastructure, and law and order. The ‘Jats Stand With Hooda’ narrative was little more than political wishful thinking.
Points to Ponder
BJP’s victory in Haryana is more than just a win. It’s a testament to how solid, grassroots planning and connection can outshine the politics of confusion and corruption. Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Jalebi Factory’ idea might have seemed clever in a brainstorming session in INC echochambers. However, on the ground, the fantasy collapsed like a house of cards. Thus, BJP worked hard but it was not their work that brought them back to power in the state.
The Congress’s missteps strengthened BJP’s case in Haryana. Thereby, beating the exit poll predictions. There is no virtual change in voteshare of the BJP from the 2019 Haryana Elections, it maintains its narrow 1% voteshare lead over INC. It seems that the Congress lost loyal voters in trying to woo new ones! Hence, the common man has once more shown the political parties that when it comes to elections, leadership and clarity trump theatrics.