NEW DELHI: When early trends started trickling in on Tuesday, the Haryana Congress workers celebrated with bites of Jaleblis (an Indian sweet) as they sensed a whiff of victory after 10 years.
“Ram-Ram Haryana. Happy Jalebi Day”, Haryana Congress wrote on X as initial numbers showed the party winning.
However, the Congress’s joy was short-lived as the BJP, defying the exit poll predictions, surprisingly took a lead in the northern state it has ruled since 2014.
The Indian sweet which Congress relished initially on Tuesday morning turned bitter by noon as the trend reversed, with now BJP having hands on the famous Indian dessert.
After the poll results became abundantly clear, BJP retorted to Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda‘s October 6 ‘Jalebi’ dig at CM Nayab Singh Saini, saying: “Dipender bhai the jalebi box did not arrive”.
As the table turned in BJP’s favour, it was Jalebi that overwhelmed Haryana’s political platter.
The entire politics around Jalebis began when the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, addressing an election rally in Haryana’s Gohana, showed a box of the famous jalebi-maker Matu Ram ‘halwai’ and emphasised that his jalebi should be sold across the country.
He had also said the jalebis should also be exported which will generate more employment opportunities.
During his speech at the rally, the Congress scion also said that he tasted the famous Matu Ram halwai‘s jalebi in the car and sent a message to his sister and party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra that “today I have eaten the best jalebi of my life”.
Now that the BJP has stormed back to power for the unprecedented third time in the state, the Jalebi has taken centre stage in Haryana’s political parley so much so that the party has ordered the sweet for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
“On behalf of all the workers of Bhartiya Janta Party Haryana, Jalebi has been sent to Rahul Gandhi’s home,” Haryana BJP wrote on X.