Haryana Assembly results: Arrogance, looking down on regional parties recipe for Congress’ poll disaster, says TMC MP Saket Gokhale

"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," Saket Gokhale said

Saket Gokhale. File | Photo Credit: PTI

In an apparent jibe at the Congress after its poll rout, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Saket Gokhale on Wednesday (October 9, 2024) said the attitude of not accommodating regional parties in places where they felt they were winning is leading to its electoral losses.

In a post on X, Mr. Gohakle, without naming any party, said arrogance, entitlement and looking down on regional parties is a recipe for disaster.

"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," the TMC MP said.

"Arrogance, entitlement and looking down on regional parties is a recipe for disaster," he said. The remarks came a day after the BJP clinched a stunning hat-trick win in Haryana overcoming anti-incumbency and dashing the Congress' hopes of a comeback.

Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had also questioned the Congress poll strategy.

The chairperson of the Aam Admi Party (AAP), which was keen on having an alliance with the Congress in Haryana, said on Tuesday (October 8, 2024) that the biggest lesson from the recent round of elections was one should not be "overconfident".

CPI General Secretary D. Raja also said the Congress needs to introspect over the poll results in Haryana and take along all INDIA bloc partners in the upcoming polls in Maharashtra and Jharkhand.

Trinamool Congress, which is part of the INDIA bloc comprising opposition parties, had fought solo in the Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal, while the Congress had allied with the CPI(M) and other Left parties.