A delegation of seasoned Congress leaders is set to meet with the Election Commission of India (ECI) this Wednesday at 6 PM. Specifically, the meeting will take place at Nirvachan Sadan in Delhi. This comes on the heels of the party’s unexpected loss in Haryana to its arch-rival, the BJP. Consequently, the defeat has raised significant concerns within the Congress ranks.
The delegation includes prominent leaders such as KC Venugopal, Ashok Gehlot, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Pratap Singh Bajwa, Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, and Jairam Ramesh. In response to the election results, several Congress leaders have expressed astonishment at the sudden shift in fortunes during the vote counting process on Tuesday. As a result, their reactions have sparked discussions about the integrity of the electoral system.
Additionally, Rahul Gandhi has weighed in on the situation. He hinted at the potential meeting with the ECI on his X account, suggesting that the party may lodge a complaint regarding alleged issues with the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Furthermore, the Congress leadership has characterized the election outcome as “unexpected”. Some members have consequently raised suspicions about discrepancies in the counting process.
In light of these concerns, the ECI confirmed the meeting in a statement released on Wednesday. The Commission addressed Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge in a letter, expressing its willingness to engage with the Opposition party. Notably, the ECI noted that the statements from Kharge, Gandhi, and other Congress leaders represent the party’s official position on the election results.
In the letter, the ECI remarked, “The Commission has taken note of the statements from you and the Leader of Opposition, which describe the Haryana results as ‘unexpected.’ The INC intends to analyze these results and approach the ECI with its complaints and grievances.” Therefore, they affirmed that the meeting would take place today at 6 PM.
Moreover, the ECI expressed surprise at the Congress party’s questioning of the democratic election process. This reaction is particularly notable given the BJP‘s swift victory in the state, achieved within just a few hours.
As this situation unfolds, the upcoming meeting will be crucial. It will not only address the Congress party’s concerns but also shape the next steps in this ongoing electoral debate. Ultimately, the outcome may have significant implications for both the Congress party and the integrity of the electoral process in India.
Kolkata: On Friday, January 10, 2026, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha members demonstrated against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her actions after the ED raids at the I-PAC office and its chief Pratik Jain's home. | In relation to an alleged coal smuggling case that stretches back a few years, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) searched the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) office and Pratik Jain's home on Loudon Street in Kolkata on Thursday, January 8, 2025. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a protest against the ED raids on I-PAC after the raid set off a political storm in the state. Why is a chief minister endorsing Pratik Jain, and who is he? Pratik Jain, a political strategist and co-founder of I-PAC, is a graduate of IIT Bombay. He is credited with helping I-PAC grow into one of the most significant political consulting organizations in India. I-PAC was established in 2015 and offers services like data-driven campaign management, support for governance, and voter outreach initiatives. It has collaborated with a number of Indian political groups throughout the years, notably West Bengal's Trinamool Congress (TMC). I-PAC reportedly collaborates closely with Abhishek Banerjee, the national general secretary of the Trinamool Congress, and his office. The company oversees the IT and media division of the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC and is in charge of creating its election campaigns. Mr. Jain was in charge of the Trinamool Congress's IT cell, according to Ms. Banerjee. According to his LinkedIn page, Jain, an engineering graduate from IIT Bombay, started his career as an analyst at the consulting firm Deloitte. He was one of the first members of Citizens of Accountable Governance, which later evolved into I-PAC. Arvind Kejriwal, M.K. Stalin, Jaganmohan Reddy, Uddhav Thackeray, Rahul Gandhi, and Nitish Kumar are just a few of the prominent figures with whom the political consultancy firm has collaborated.…
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