‘Not greedy for any post’: Facing criticism, Haryana Congress in-charge offers to resign

Haryana Congress in-charge Deepak Babaria offered to resign a day after the state assembly poll results were announced, India Today reported on Monday. He took responsibility for the party’s poor performance in Haryana. “I submitted my resignation the next day after the Haryana results were released. I am not greedy for any position,” he said.

Babariya, however, claimed that Haryana’s results were unprecedented and that there was misappropriation and negligence in almost 15 seats. He acknowledged that 15 important seats played a decisive role in the BJP’s victory in Haryana. Babaria, who has held key positions in the party for over five decades, said he would soon issue a full press release.

“I have always taken responsibility for the tasks entrusted to me by the party. I have been with the organization for 52 years and it is not about clinging to a position for personal gain,” Babaria said while speaking to AajTak. He added that he had also offered his resignation following the party’s defeat in the Delhi Lok Sabha elections.

After a shock defeat in Haryana, some Congress leaders blamed Babaria for his absence during the height of the campaign. Captain Ajay Singh Yadav, president of the Congress Party’s OBC department, said Babariya was unwell and in that case he should have entrusted the responsibility to someone else. Yadav suggested that the candidates had no one to connect with for coordination.

Babaria revealed that he was advised to remain in isolation after his condition worsened, around September 8, which prevented him from participating in the election campaign. He was appointed in-charge of AICC in Haryana on June 9, 2023.

The Congress was expected to win Haryana easily. However, the BJP won the state for the third time in a row by winning 48 of the 90 seats.