Congress on Tuesday rejected the outcome of the Haryana Assembly elections calling it a victory of “manipulation” by the ruling BJP.

Claiming that it has received very serious complaints on the process of counting, and functioning of EVMs in at least three districts, the grand old party said it would seek time from the Election Commission (EC) to take up the matter.

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters, Congress general secretary in charge of Communication Jairam Ramesh said, “I just want to reiterate that the results in Haryana are totally unexpected, completely surprising and counterintuitive. It goes against ground reality, it goes against what the people of Haryana had made up their minds for which was for change and transformation. Under these circumstances, it is not possible for us to accept the results that have been announced today.”

“The reason we are not accepting it is because it is surprising and unexpected. Serious issues are raised on the integrity of the counting process, and of the functioning of the EVMs in at least three districts in which about 12 to 14 constituencies are involved. It could be more. We will have the final list tomorrow,” he said.

Ramesh, who is the Congress MP in Rajya Sabha, said, “We will bring it to the notice of the EC. What we have seen today in Haryana is a victory for manipulation, a victory for subverting the will of the people. It’s a defeat for transparent, democratic processes. Congress has not lost. Congress has been made to lose in Haryana.”

Attacking the BJP, Ramesh said, “Haryana has been a double-engine government. So, it’s a double engine pressure. Pressure from the state government and Union government as well… People who had healthy leading margins have ended up losing by 100 or 200 votes. This can only be explained by manipulation and pressure.”

“The chapter on Haryana is not complete. It will continue,” he said.

The Congress MP also informed that besides complaining to the poll panel, the party would introspect on the party’s performance in the state.

Notably, the EC on Tuesday rejected Ramesh’s claim of inordinate delay in updating results of the Haryana Assembly elections on the website and application of the poll panel and called it “ill-founded”.

The BJP retained power in Haryana by sweeping the Assembly elections.

Referring to the victory of the National Conference (NC) and Congress alliance in Jammu and Kashmir, Ramesh said, “The people of Jammu and Kashmir have given a clear, decisive, convincing mandate to the National Conference and INC alliance. The priority for the alliance government will be the restoration of full statehood for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Both the NC and INC are duty bound to give an administration that is responsible, responsive, accountable, and transparent to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”

He said, “The people of Jammu and Kashmir have defeated the mischievous designs of the BJP to engineer a majority of its own. Until yesterday, various attempts were being made to ensure that the majority would not come to the NC-INC coalition. But the people of Jammu and Kashmir have given a very clear mandate for this coalition government.”