‘Don’t Go Haryana Way In Maharashtra Polls’: Inside Details Of Congress Leaders’ Meet With Kharge, Rahul Gandhi

• Congress leadership warned Maharashtra leaders not to repeat the mistakes from the Haryana elections, where internal strife cost them a victory.
• The directive was to avoid public statements on CM candidates and ticket distribution, leaving these decisions to the central leadership.
• The Congress plans to focus on the failures of the Eknath Shinde government in maintaining law and order, with Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge personally managing the Maharashtra campaign.

What lessons from the Haryana elections are shaping Congress’ strategy for Maharashtra?

In a critical meeting held at Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence, top Congress leaders in Maharashtra were given a clear warning: avoid the internal discord that plagued the party in Haryana, leading to a loss in a winnable election. Rahul Gandhi, who expressed frustration over the Haryana debacle, emphasized the importance of unity and discipline within the party ranks ahead of the Maharashtra elections.

Avoiding Infighting and Public Conflicts
The infighting between factions in Haryana—particularly between Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Kumari Selja—was highlighted as a major cause of the Congress’ failure. Maharashtra leaders were told not to make public comments on the potential Chief Ministerial candidate or ticket distribution issues, as these matters would be handled by the central leadership. This instruction aims to prevent a repeat of the discord that weakened Congress’ image in Haryana.

Focus on BJP’s Failures in Governance
The Congress plans to sharpen its attack on the Eknath Shinde-led government in Maharashtra, accusing it of failing to ensure public safety and maintain law and order. Leaders have been asked to take this message to the ground, emphasizing the administration’s weaknesses.

Central Leadership to Micromanage Maharashtra Campaign
Both Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge will play a hands-on role in managing the Maharashtra campaign to ensure no divisions surface. Given the importance of this election, Congress leaders have been instructed to focus on uniting under a single agenda to avoid the kind of missteps that led to their loss in Haryana.