RS Polls Show How Factionalism & ‘Money Power’ Have Hit PartyRS Polls Show How Factionalism & ‘Money Power’ Have Hit Party12 NEW DELHI: Eleven Congress MLAs defied the party diktat in RS elections, once again highlighting how Upper House polls – both at the Centre and in states – have emerged as the party’s Achilles’ heel when it is in the opposition.While 5 Congress MLAs voted against the party in Haryana, 3 defied it in Odisha, and 3 in Bihar abstained. Four votes declared invalid in Haryana have been dubbed by Congress as the handiwork of BJP through its “agent returning officer”.The repeated defections in RS and legislative council elections in states where Congress is in the opposition have been a result of either the “influence” of the governing parties led by BJP or factionalism. Israel Iran WarUS-Israel-Iran War News Live Updates: Iran calls Israeli bombing of fuel depots ‘ecocide’; Trump warns Nato over war fallout’We don’t need help!’ Trump explodes after Nato, other nations refuse to take part in Iran warAudio Details Iran Strike Aftermath: Mojtaba survives ‘Blue Sparrow’ hit; family and commanders killedCongress managed to win the RS election in Haryana after losing two in the past, while its bid to help allies in Bihar and Odisha came a cropper.Many believe it is a result of the inability of Congress to eject BJP from states, which has resulted in despondency among elected members and has made them easy prey for the governing party. The defiance in Odisha and Bihar is attributed to this reality. However, the factionalism bit seems to have played a role in Haryana, where the cross-voting MLAs in the past went on to join BJP, like Kiran Choudhary and Kuldeep Bishnoi.Many insiders and state in-charges have expressed helplessness that “money power” is the “carrot” factor that cannot be easily neutralised given that it also comes with the “stick” of the threats from the governing party. They said it makes legislators with business interests particularly vulnerable.However, strong leadership and state unit are being credited with the party’s success in winning in Haryana RS, despite what the party called “the returning officer working as a BJP agent”.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘Will Maintain Exports Again’: Piyush Goyal Highlights India’s ‘Stable’ Trade Amid West Asia WarSupreme Court Strikes Down Three-Month Rule, Grants Equal Maternity Leave To Adoptive Mothers Too‘Culture Erased’ Claim Sparks Row Over Hindu Temple In Dallas Fort, Targets Indian Community OnlineIndia Urges UN Reform Amid Iran War, Seeks BRICS Unity As Conflict Divides Members’Bapu Wanted To…’: Shivraj Singh Chouhan Launches Scathing Attack On Congress Over VB-G RAM G BillNo Petrol Or Diesel Price Hike For Now Says Centre Amid West Asia Oil Market Volatility Crisis’Bundled Up And Thrown Into Jail’: Sonam Wangchuk In First Remarks After Release From NSA DetentionLok Sabha Revokes Suspension Of 8 Oppn MPs, Warns Against Placards, AI PicturesCentre Confirms All Indian Sailors, Ships Are Safe As LPG Vessels Shivalik, Nanda Devi Dock In IndiaDial PM Modi For Peace: Finland Backs India To Broker Ceasefire, Urges Trump To Call Delhi123Photostories15 die after drinking milk contaminated with ethylene glycol: How to do milk purity test and 5 other calcium-rich foods to consumeThe Great Indian Kapil Show 4 Finale: David Dhawan on Salman Khan asking him to tell Akshay Kumar not to touch him during ‘MSK’ Shoot; Kapil Sharma recalls doing Hans Baliye with wife GinniChaitra Navratri 2026: How to make Makhana Dosa for breakfast at home11 iconic Maharashtrian street foods that define regional flavours5 signs your workout routine is stressing you out instead of helping youWaiting for ‘Dhurandhar 2’? Watch these 5 English spy thrillers ahead of the sequel releaseWhy your brain struggles to switch off at night: Neurologist explains the ‘wired-tired’ cycle9 strange objects floating in space that still exist5 weird and silly things people in love do, according to psychologyFrom B-2 bombers to F-35 stealth jets: US air force assets deployed near Iran – in pics123Hot PicksMaternity leaveBengal police reshuffleMatthew Van DykeGold rate todayIncome Tax CalculatorPublic holidays March 2026Bank Holidays MarchTop TrendingMagic JohnsonIndia LPG TankerGreen Card HoldersTaylor SwiftTeam VenezuelaGreen Card HoldersAssembly election dateWWE Raw NewsCarlos Correa WifeEid ul fitr 2026
NEW DELHI: Eleven Congress MLAs defied the party diktat in RS elections, once again highlighting how Upper House polls – both at the Centre and in states – have emerged as the party’s Achilles’ heel when it is in the opposition.While 5 Congress MLAs voted against the party in Haryana, 3 defied it in Odisha, and 3 in Bihar abstained. Four votes declared invalid in Haryana have been dubbed by Congress as the handiwork of BJP through its “agent returning officer”.The repeated defections in RS and legislative council elections in states where Congress is in the opposition have been a result of either the “influence” of the governing parties led by BJP or factionalism. Congress managed to win the RS election in Haryana after losing two in the past, while its bid to help allies in Bihar and Odisha came a cropper.Many believe it is a result of the inability of Congress to eject BJP from states, which has resulted in despondency among elected members and has made them easy prey for the governing party. The defiance in Odisha and Bihar is attributed to this reality. However, the factionalism bit seems to have played a role in Haryana, where the cross-voting MLAs in the past went on to join BJP, like Kiran Choudhary and Kuldeep Bishnoi.Many insiders and state in-charges have expressed helplessness that “money power” is the “carrot” factor that cannot be easily neutralised given that it also comes with the “stick” of the threats from the governing party. They said it makes legislators with business interests particularly vulnerable.However, strong leadership and state unit are being credited with the party’s success in winning in Haryana RS, despite what the party called “the returning officer working as a BJP agent”.
