Congress meets EC on Haryana Vote Count, says "need concrete answers" ::::: Over to Maharashtra: BJP faces multiple challenges but 'Haryana win' will give renewed confidence to Team Fadnavis

"Those living in a fool's paradise will now come on the ground".

Devendra Fadnavis deserves to come back as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Along with Fadnavis himself, many feel the same but challenges are multiple. 

As BJP stunned Rahul Gandhi's Congress is a crucial and fierce battle, Fadnavis is more than happy.  

"I want to tell that the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) till yesterday were sitting ready to attack the BJP if we had lost Haryana elections. But, they did not get that the opportunity yesterday and they understood the mood of the country," he says. 

"Hence, till yesterday those who were saying 'we are together' are asking today 'hum tumhare hain kaun' (who are you)," he quipped.

Asked what will be the impact of Haryana elections on the Maharashtra assembly polls, Fadnavis said the results in the northern state have clearly broken the "fake narrative" created (by BJP's rivals) during the Lok Sabha elections and now people are standing with the BJP.

Incumbent Deputy Chief Minister Fadnavis also said that this performance will also be repeated in Maharashtra - where state assembly polls are to be held in November.  

In the Lok Sabha elections, the Maha Vikas Aghadi - which comprises Congress, Sharad Pawar's NCP, and Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena - shocked the ruling Mahayuti by winning 30 of 48 seats. The Mahayuti claims that the MVA won these many seats due to its "fake narrative" that the reservation would be removed and the Constitution would be in danger. 

Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule stated that the outcome of the Haryana elections sends a strong message against the "fake narrative" of the Congress, which he said affected the BJP in the recent Lok Sabha elections. 

He expressed confidence that the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra, consisting of the BJP, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar's NCP faction, will replicate the success in the upcoming state elections.

The Election Commission responded to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's statements, describing them as “far from a legitimate part of free speech.”

The Congress party's rejection of the results marks a significant moment in Indian politics, as it is the first instance where a major party has openly contested the electoral mandate by alleging manipulation of EVMs. 

Despite these claims, prominent Congress figures in Haryana acknowledged their defeat. Kumari Selja directed criticism towards the Hooda faction for the party’s loss, while Hooda himself stated he would accept the results, albeit with surprise.  

"We've given them the written complaint with documents from seven assembly segments. We will be giving them 13 more in the course of next 48 hours. These are the complaints that we have received from our candidates, and we are in the process of collecting more complaints," says Congress leader Pawan Khera after a Congress delegation met EC challenging the Oct 8th vote count. 

"We brought to their notice about seven assembly segments where our candidates have apprised us of batteries which showed 99% charge on the day of the morning of the counting which is impossible because the same machines and same batteries have been used on the day of the polling the entire day and then they are kept in the strong room... So after so many days, the battery doesn't get consumed at all and it shows 99%. 

It is unnatural... That's what we brought to their notice... There are 13 more assembly constituencies where we are getting the complaints. We will send them the complaints... They assured us that they would respond to our questions...but assurances won't work. 

We need concrete answers supported and backed by evidence... What has the BJP got to do with it? This is between the Opposition and the Election Commission of India...", Pawan Khera said.