The Congress party’s dismal performance in the Haryana Assembly elections has drawn sharp criticism from its allies, with Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena faction leading the charge. In an editorial published in Saamana, the Sena criticized the Congress for failing to collaborate with key regional partners like AAP, accusing the party of turning a winning opportunity into defeat.

Shiv Sena's Saamana editorial expressed frustration over Congress' inability to manage alliances, which were crucial to the party's better performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections. The lack of coordination, particularly with AAP, was flagged as a missed opportunity that could have altered the election results in Haryana. Sanjay Raut, a key leader of the Sena, criticized Congress for its overconfidence and failure to engage with parties like Samajwadi Party and AAP, stating that the outcome could have been different with their involvement.

The Congress' Maharashtra chief, Nana Patole, quickly responded to the criticism, pointing out that Haryana and Maharashtra have different political contexts. He objected to the harsh remarks and assured that Congress would perform better in the upcoming Maharashtra elections, citing the state's ideological history influenced by figures like Jyotirao Phule and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.

Saamana didn’t hold back, highlighting similar internal issues within the Congress that derailed its campaigns in states like Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh last year. It criticized the party’s tendency to favor senior leaders like Bhupinder Singh Hooda in Haryana, despite growing internal rifts with leaders like Kumari Selja. The editorial implied that Hooda’s dominance and his reluctance to cooperate with others, including Selja, contributed to the Congress' defeat.

While the AAP's poor showing in Haryana, securing less than 1.8% of the votes, might not have significantly impacted Congress' overall results, the Shiv Sena was clear that a stronger alliance might have led to a better outcome. The party also called out Congress for a lack of strategy and grassroots focus, something they argue BJP excels at.

Despite the criticism, Sanjay Raut was optimistic about the future of the Maha Vikas Aghadi in Maharashtra, urging Congress to learn from its Haryana experience. He emphasized that the people of Maharashtra would not follow Haryana’s political trajectory and expressed confidence in the alliance's chances of winning the upcoming state election.

Adding to the criticism, Trinamool Congress also took issue with Congress' attitude toward seat-sharing, particularly after the party's poor performances in several elections. Trinamool MP Saket Gokhale called out Congress' "arrogance" in not accommodating regional parties where it felt strong, while expecting support in states where it was weaker. Gokhale urged the Congress leadership to learn from its repeated electoral losses.

The Haryana election had initially seemed to be in Congress' favor, with exit polls predicting a win for the party. However, as counting progressed, the BJP overtook Congress and secured 48 out of 90 seats, leaving Congress with 37. The BJP’s success, fueled by strong grassroots organization and strategy, ensures another five years in power in the state.