The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken a jubilant jab at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi by sending him a kilogram of jalebis, a traditional sweet dish, following the party’s momentous victory in the Haryana Assembly elections. The BJP’s Haryana unit marked its historic third consecutive electoral win on Tuesday with this symbolic gesture, not as a friendly offering, but as a pointed critique of Gandhi’s recent comments regarding the beloved sweet.*
The BJP announced the delivery on the social media platform X, sharing a screenshot from a food delivery service that confirmed the order dispatched to Gandhi’s office at 24 Akbar Road, the headquarters of the Congress party in Delhi. The party expressed that the jalebis were sent “on behalf of all the workers of Bhartiya Janata Party (in) Haryana,” highlighting the celebratory nature of the gesture.
The context behind this sweet delivery lies in Gandhi’s earlier remarks during the campaign, in which he lauded the mass production of jalebis from Gohana, a town in Haryana.
He pointed out that these sweet treats were not only sold across the nation but were also exported, contributing to employment and revenue. However, Gandhi’s comments also included criticism of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) system, which he claimed adversely affected jalebi vendors.
This provoked a series of retorts from BJP leaders, who seized the opportunity to mock Gandhi’s knowledge of the dish. Former Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad quipped that while he appreciates Gohana jalebis, Gandhi seems “clueless” about their preparation and sale. Prasad further asserted that Gandhi “does not do his homework properly.”
Also read: Allies criticise Congress after poor performance in Haryana assembly election
Interestingly, jalebis have been a focal point in political rhetoric beyond Gandhi, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi also referenced them in his campaign speeches leading up to the April-June general elections. Modi used the jalebi metaphorically to question the opposition INDIA bloc’s plan to rotate the Prime Minister’s post, asking if it was akin to Matu Ram’s jalebi—a reference to the origin of the Gohana jalebi, which was first sold in 1958 by Matu Ram and is now managed by his grandsons.
Raman Gupta, one of Matu Ram’s grandsons, shared details about the beloved sweet, noting that it is made from pure desi ghee, has a unique crispy yet soft texture, and weighs approximately 250 grams each. A box containing four jalebis, weighing around one kilogram, is priced at ₹320.
The playful exchange highlights the ongoing rivalry between the BJP and Congress as both parties gear up for future electoral battles, using local delicacies like jalebis as a medium to convey their political messages.
