Cracks Emerge in I.N.D.I. Alliance After Congress Stumbles in Haryana

Yogurt is a crucial yet often overlooked ingredient in the preparation of Jalebi. Just as cardamom enhances the flavor of biryani, yogurt is essential for achieving the perfect taste in Jalebi. However, if too much yogurt is added during its preparation, it can render the traditional Indian sweet overly sour and unpalatable. This was precisely the case with the ‘Election Jalebi’ crafted by the Indian National Congress for Haryana. The overconfidence exhibited by the oldest party acted as that excess yogurt, resulting in a bitter aftertaste in the election results.

The Haryana election results delivered an unexpected blow to the Indian National Congress, which had been overconfident of a straightforward victory based on early projections. But, in a remarkable turn of events, the Bharatiya Janata Party captured the 90-seat assembly, securing 49 seats.

The bitterness of the ‘Election Jalebi’ cooked up by Congress extended far beyond the Haryana results, seeping into every corner of the I.N.D.I. Alliance. The sourness even broke any possibility of an alliance between Congress and Aam Aadmi Party for the upcoming Delhi elections.

AAP Spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said, “We will contest Delhi (assembly) elections alone. On one side it’s the overconfident Congress and on the other side, it’s the arrogant BJP. We will contest the election based on what we have done in Delhi in the last 10 years.”

It is important to highlight that Pawan Khera, in an interview, dismissed the Aam Aadmi Party and other alliance partners as irrelevant in Haryana, which clarifies the Aam Aadmi Party’s decision to contest the Delhi elections independently.

The Aam Aadmi Party, along with other INDI allies, didn’t hold back from taking jabs at the grand old party. Saket Gokhale, spokesperson for the Trinamool Congress, took a pointed jab at the grand old party. He wrote “This attitude leads to electoral losses- “if we feel we’re winning, we will not accommodate any regional party- but in states where we’re down, regional parties must accommodate us. Arrogance, entitlement, and looking down on regional parties is a recipe for disaster. Learn!”

Omar Abdullah of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference delivered a sarcastic remark during an interview. He said, “I am sure the Congress is unhappy with its own performance. I don’t have anything to add to its injury. The BJP pulled the Haryana twist out of nowhere. I am sure Congress will sit back and analyse later.”

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi likewise emphasized that the grand old party needed to reassess its strategy. “The Congress party needs to think about its strategy because wherever there is a direct fight with the BJP, the Congress party gets weakened,” she said.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha made a subtle jab at Congress in a cryptic post on X, sharing a few lines in Urdu that roughly translated to, “If you had cared about my wishes, it would have been a different matter. If you had taken care of our desires, it would have been a different evening. Today he too must be regretting leaving me, If we had walked together it would have been something else.”

Jalebis are meant to be loved. The sugar syrup coating of the Jalebi is meant to dissolve in the mouth of the eater and melt his heart. People of India doesnt expect much good from Congess but at least it should not make people hate Jalebissss!!!!!!!!

PS: Context for those unversed with the ‘Jalebi’ episode and the meme-storm it has created

In the lead-up to the Haryana polls, Rahul Gandhi spoke at an election rally in Gohana on October 3, where he showcased a box from the famous jalebi-maker ‘Matu Ram Halwai.’ He mentioned that he had tasted the jalebi in the car and messaged his sister, Priyanka, saying that he had enjoyed the best jalebi of his life that day. He also promised to bring a box of jalebi for her as well. During his rally, he also talked about “Jalebi ki factory” which took social media by storm, an episode that has ever since become the redux of the “Aloo se Sona” gaffe.

Ironically, yesterday, when the initial counting of votes showed Congress ahead, the grand old party had reportedly ordered Jalebis and Dhol Nagade but their celebrations proved premature. Additionally, the BJP and its supporters also had a field day, taking a jalebi jab at the Gandhi scion.