Rahul Gandhi’s leadership never appeared to give any direction to the Congress government since he became President of the party. The win in Chhattisgarh, MP and Rajasthan assembly election was more due to anti-incumbency than Congress’s leader’s performance. In fact, even after anti-incumbency Congress couldn’t get a simple majority in MP and Rajasthan. Then it really decimated in the Mizoram and Telangana assembly elections. In Mizoram, it was the ruling party, whereas in Telangana it made a coalition with TDP.
Many Congressmen who trusted Rahul Gandhi, credited him the partial assembly election success in 2018. But then, he lost badly in the general elections in 2019. Did he realise that his trusted lieutenants’, especially veteran congress leaders, were really responsible for the loss? Perhaps that’s why he resigned from the post of President of the GOP and openly criticised veteran leaders’ irresponsibility and nepotism for electoral loss. Since then, the Congress has become rudderless and directionless. There’s no unanimity in any issue. Let’s consider the present Article 370 issue.
Congress Leaders Contradictory Views On Revocation Of Article 370
Congress seemed really confused about how to address this issue. Ghulam Nabi Azad the leader of opposition in RS said that abrogating Article 370 is akin to the murder of democracy. On the other hand, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, leader of Congress in LS questioned whether Kashmir is India’s internal matter. Many other Congress leaders opposed Article 370 citing the same reasons which Pakistan cites, making me question whether the Congress speaks Pakistan’s language?
But then there are other leaders who support the BJP government on this. First Bhubaneswar Kalita, Chief whip of Congress in RS resigned due to Congress’s opposition to Article 370. Then Janardhan Dwivedi, a close aid of Sonia Gandhi supported BJP’s resolution on Article 370. That made a host of Congress youth leaders like Dipeendar Hooda, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Anil Shastri etc support the government move. Even the veteran Congress leader Dr Karan Singh the son of Kashmir King Hari Singh too went against the party’s views. Finally, Congress’s split is very wide open on this issue which has not yet been addressed despite a couple of CWC meetings.
The question is what happened to Congress? Why is the Congress as a party behaving like a headless chicken? Is it the beginning of the end for the Grand Old Party? Let me try to analyse what is wrong at the party.
I think although Rahul Gandhi was made Party President Sonia Gandhi’s coterie didn’t allow him to work as per his wishes. Rahul Gandhi trusted youth leadership but the old guard was imposed upon him. Sachin Pilot should be credited for Congress’s Rajasthan assembly election performance and similarly, Jyotiraditya Scindia for MP.
But then after gruelling deliberation and especially intervention of Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, both Ashok Gehlot and Kamalnath got CM posts leaving Sachin Pilot and Scindia behind in the race. Both Scindia and Pilot although dissatisfied had to feign contentment in front of the high command dictate.
Then, during the general elections, 2019 ticket distributions were influenced by these old veteran leaders which were one of the main reasons for Congress decimation as a Congress ground leader intimated to Rahul Gandhi. The point is simple, as I understand that there’s a split between veteran leaders and young leaders. Veteran leaders who are not ready to retire but wield their influence on everything.
On the other hand, young leaders work hard on the ground but don’t get any befitting rewards. That’s the main reason why Congress is losing its credence and many leaders in Maharashtra, Odisha, Karnataka, UP and everywhere are leaving the party.
What should the Congress do now? As I understood, it’s time for the Congress to retire veteran politicians. In the new India, the old fashioned smear campaign won’t work. It’s time to trust and invest in young leaders. There are several good young leaders like Sachin Pilot, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Milind Deora, Ranjib Biswal, Deepender Hooda and many others who can win the hearts of the voters on their personal integrity. The old-fashioned Congress leaders lost their credentials in this new India, where Narendra Modi emerged as a strong nationalistic leader.
I would say that Congress shouldn’t even look to come to power in 2024. It needs to focus on building the party from the grassroots. It should take a lesson from BJP. The BJP with limited footprints made the party into a true cadre system rewarding the befitting people through appreciation, posts etc. It took time but then BJP became almost invincible since 2014. Rahul Gandhi needs to get rid of his coterie and accommodate young, dedicated and committed leaders as his lieutenants.
It doesn’t matter who will be president of the party, if Rahul Gandhi decides not to be, because, without any post, the Gandhi dynasty always rules the party. However, to rule the party, the party needs to sustain itself.
Unless there’s a sea change in the party structure, I don’t see any future for Congress. Well, a declined or lost party may be the fate for the Gandhi family, but it’s also a loss for the country because democracy always needs a strong and constructive opposition.
The way the party behaved in the context of Article 370, I feel that they are distanced from mainstream India farther than they were before this. If urgent actions are not taken soon, then I think sensible politicians will definitely leave the party and join some other party as a result of which the grand old party may ultimately end up in oblivion.