Congress Faces Internal Turmoil After Rajya Sabha Elections in Haryana

The Congress party in Haryana is facing significant internal turmoil following the recent Rajya Sabha elections. Allegations of cross-voting have led to disciplinary notices being issued to several MLAs, including Jarnail Singh. The party's disciplinary committee has confirmed these actions, citing serious breaches of party discipline. Singh has publicly defended himself, claiming the accusations are an attempt to damage his reputation. As the situation unfolds, the party's unity and integrity are under scrutiny, raising questions about the future of its leadership and cohesion.

By Narendra Chaudhary Mar 21, 2026, 08:44 IST

Internal Strife in Congress Post Rajya Sabha Elections

Following the recent Rajya Sabha elections in Haryana, the Congress party is experiencing significant internal discord and disciplinary actions. On Friday, the party issued a show-cause notice to Jarnail Singh, the MLA from Ratia, accusing him of serious misconduct, including 'cross-voting' and engaging in activities against the party's interests during the elections.

Details of the Allegations

The disciplinary committee of the state Congress unit confirmed the issuance of this notice, led by Chairman Dharmapal Malik and Secretary Rohit Jain. Previously, similar notices were sent to four other MLAs: Shaili Chaudhary (Narayangarh), Renu Bala (Sadhaura), Mohammad Ilyas (Puhna), and Mohammad Israel (Hathin). According to the official notice, Jarnail Singh failed to adhere to the prescribed voting process during the elections held on March 16, 2026, resulting in his vote being declared invalid. The revised notice further states that Singh intentionally supported a candidate other than the official Congress nominee, Karamveer Singh Baudh, which constitutes a serious breach of party discipline.

Response from Jarnail Singh

In a revised notice released on Friday evening, it was alleged that Singh deliberately did not vote for the official Congress candidate and instead backed another contender. The notice indicated, 'It has come to the party leadership's attention that during the Rajya Sabha (Haryana) biennial elections, you did not cast your vote for the official Congress candidate Karamveer Singh Baudh, whose name was listed first on the ballot, and instead voted for another candidate.' The party described this act as appearing to be a deliberate attempt to defeat the official candidate, representing a grave violation of party discipline.

Consequences of the Allegations

The notice further stated, 'Such conduct is akin to anti-party activities and undermines the unity, integrity, and ideological commitments of the party. It also clearly violates the party's stance, rules, and established norms.' Singh has been given seven days to explain why disciplinary action should not be initiated against him. In a conversation with reporters in Fatehabad, Singh claimed that this move was an attempt to tarnish his reputation, asserting that he had shown his marked ballot to the party's authorized agent, Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

Singh's Remarks on the Situation

Singh expressed his distress over the allegations, stating, 'I am deeply hurt by the accusations against me. My heart is broken. I have always been loyal to the party and Hooda Sahib, but this is the reward I received today.' Despite the controversy, Singh praised BJP leader Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, noting that many opposition MLAs reach out to the Chief Minister to get work done in their constituencies. He remarked, 'The Chief Minister is a very good person; he listens patiently to everyone. If any MLA invites him, he visits their home.' Singh also commended the Chief Minister for wearing a turban during the presentation of the state budget.

Election Outcomes

Voting for two Rajya Sabha seats from Haryana took place on Monday. BJP's Sanjay Bhatia won one seat comfortably, while Congress candidate Karamveer Singh Baudh secured the second seat in a tough contest against independent candidate Satish Nandal. Out of five votes declared invalid by the election officer, four were reportedly cast by Congress MLAs. On Wednesday, the party named four other MLAs—Shaili Chaudhary, Renu Bala, Mohammad Ilyas, and Mohammad Israel—who are suspected of violating the official stance. Chaudhary and Bala denied the allegations on Thursday, asserting that their names were unnecessarily dragged into controversy.