Hooda, a former chief minister and six-time MLA, defended his position after his faction received significant blame for the party's underwhelming performance. Reports indicated that Congress’ dependence on Jat voters—who make up 27% of the electorate—left them vulnerable to the consolidation of non-Jat votes, which shifted toward the BJP. Despite Hooda’s significant influence in securing tickets for his loyalists, the party faced a setback as many of these candidates were defeated, leading to internal discord.
Kumari Selja, who chose not to contest, had previously expressed her dissatisfaction over being marginalized in critical decisions such as ticket distribution. She remained absent from many key rallies during the election campaign, signaling the growing rift within the party. Selja, a strong contender for the leadership position in Haryana, has positioned herself as a counterweight to Hooda’s dominance, which she and others believe led to the Congress’ poor strategy in the state.
Factionalism within the Congress has been a persistent issue, with the Hooda-Selja power struggle deepening over the years. Hooda’s sway over ticket distribution had alienated key factions within the party, weakening its overall campaign effort. Observers pointed out that despite Congress’ lead in vote share, its inability to convert this into seats reflected the internal challenges it faced. These issues, combined with the BJP’s continued hold over urban constituencies such as Gurugram and Faridabad, further hurt Congress' chances of success.
The internal discord also weakened Congress' ability to compete effectively against regional forces and independent candidates, who managed to chip away at their voter base. The rise of these smaller parties and independents in Haryana’s political landscape compounded Congress' difficulties, further diminishing the party’s potential to secure a larger number of seats.