Senior leaders must ensure rejuvenation to meet assembly polls challenge next year
By Kalyani Shankar
In his victory speech following the Bihar elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi predicted that the Congress party might split again, given that the NDA secured a landslide victory. He criticised the Congress party for transforming into a communist-Maoist entity, noting that it has been losing election after election, both in the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, and that it lacks positive political direction.
The Prime Minister’s criticism of the Congress Party is not surprising. He often attacks them whenever he has the chance. The party’s leaders have not recognised the changing social dynamics in Bihar and other areas. They have lost support from their traditional voters, including upper castes, Dalits, and Muslims. Yet, they have made no efforts to win these groups back.
The Prime Minister pointed out that the party received fewer votes than the NDA in total during six Assembly elections since the 2024 elections. This is a significant setback for the party’s historical position.
Is the Grand Old Congress Party finished after its poor performance in Bihar? The party clearly suffered a significant loss. Workers’ morale was low despite extensive campaigning by leaders like Rahul Gandhi, his sister Priyanka Gandhi, and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, who were unable to attract voters.
The results indicate their limited impact, even in constituencies they previously held. Congress ended up with just five seats. The message from Bihar is clear: voters no longer see the Congress party as one that can govern effectively, and the Gandhi family must take responsibility for this. Congress is in denial about the real issues and is stuck in its past.
In Bihar, the party lacks a strong organisation and a broad appeal to the public. Congress’s future looks uncertain as it continues to lose control in various states. To compete with the BJP, the party needs to change.
Many key leaders have been shifting to the BJP and other parties. The party has typically relied on regional leaders and political families, but now other groups have pulled away their support. At present, Congress mostly depends on the Muslim vote, which is under threat due to the rise of other parties.
The party’s hopes were dashed, as it had expected to secure more seats this time around. The stark defeat raises the question of why Congress lost a stronghold it had maintained for so long. Is this the end of the road for the Grand Old Congress Party following such poor performance? The future of the party remains uncertain.
The decline of the Congress party can be traced back to the emergence of Mandal leaders in the 1980s and 1990s, which weakened the party’s dominance and that of the BJP. This shift from a position of power led Congress to align with various factions, ultimately diluting its influence and authority. It had to join the coalitions of like-minded parties.
The party is currently facing a significant challenge in winning assembly seats and reclaiming its former glory. The Congress suffers from a lack of leadership at both the national and state levels. In the past, Congress relied heavily on strong regional leaders and political families to win; Although Mallikarjun Kharge is the Congress President, most decisions are made by Rahul Gandhi, who is often absent from the country despite his hard work during the elections. Priyanka Gandhi has also not proven effective in attracting votes
During the freedom struggle, their party was an umbrella organisation, representing all ideological hues – from the nationalist stream to the Leftist forces. This is no longer the case, as it has started leaning towards the Left.
The Congress party also lacks active workers, a situation unlike that of the BJP and other parties. Without dedicated support, no party can succeed. There was also shortage of election funds. When Congress had fifteen states, funds would come from the chief ministers. There was lack of guidance of good advisers to support the leaders.
An organisation needs a clear ideology, strong leadership, a broad base of support, and a solid structure. In Bihar and across the country, the main opposition party lacks all of these qualities. The party must sit and thoroughly discuss the future strategy. Next year, there are six Assembly polls. As long as the party does not decide to reorganise, it will continue to slide further. It must not allow the remaining leaders to shift to other parties.
The oldest political party in the country will not disappear overnight, it will continue to weaken. Congress leaders need to come together to restore the party’s original strength and enhance its organisation. (IPA Service)
