Timesof24
Throughout the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi, the chief of the Congress, gave the celebration momentum by breaking its template of conducting Twitter politics. The lengthy march gave new mild and hope to hundreds of Congress celebration leaders and cadres who tirelessly work for the celebration every single day. Nonetheless, the Congress has misplaced priorities. At present, the complete celebration within the Lok Sabha, the Rajya Sabha, exterior of Parliament, and in all places else is defending Rahul Gandhi for his alleged “anti-India” statements made in the UK. It’s not a matter of taking up the place of decide or jury, however quite for the Congress to recognise the severity of the injury that Gandhi’s statements trigger to the celebration.
Congress’ efficiency in elections has been dangerous, and the final elections of 2024 are close to. Now is a vital time for the celebration to make use of the momentum of the Bharat Jodo Yatra to strengthen its organisations in preparation for the necessary Meeting elections of 2023. These elections will lay the inspiration for the final election. Nonetheless, it seems like the present precedence of Congress is defending the Gandhi household. If such politics continues, then it would have a devastating and destructive impact on the grand previous celebration.
Upcoming Elections
Elections within the states of Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan will happen this 12 months. These can be essential for the Congress as a result of the celebration misplaced energy in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh after forming the governments in each states. In Rajasthan, the Congress celebration holds energy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Aam Aadmi Celebration (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal have already began holding rallies and campaigns in Karnataka, whereas the Congress is in the midst of a chilly battle between DK Shivakumar and former Chief Minister Siddharamaiah.
After Jyotiraditya Scindia joined the Bharatiya Janata Celebration (BJP), it’s nonetheless unclear who controls the Madhya Pradesh Congress between Kamal Nath and Digvijay Singh. The information articles and sources verify that the organisation of the grand previous celebration is in poor form. The celebration has by no means been in a position to current a united entrance within the state of Rajasthan, even though the BJP engages in its inside battle. Months after the formation of the federal government in Rajasthan beneath the management of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, senior chief Sachin Pilot turned a insurgent contained in the Congress.
The feud between Gehlot and Pilot has been the main matter of dialogue within the state. Congress’ preparedness is but to make a major noise which signifies that the celebration has not but made these elections its high precedence.
Latest elections within the Northeastern states didn’t go significantly nicely for the Congress. The highest management of the celebration didn’t even marketing campaign in Tripura. In Meghalaya, the celebration solely held a couple of giant rallies. In distinction, the BJP, regardless of not having an awesome organisation in Meghalaya and Nagaland, held a number of rallies led by high leaders, together with PM Modi. Some of the necessary classes from these defeats is that the celebration has repeatedly failed to take care of home unity. Its leaders have both joined the BJP or different events such because the Trinamool Congress (TMC). Versus defending Rahul Gandhi, these ought to be the true points earlier than Congress.
Organisational Disaster
The Congress is the one political celebration in India the place the president is extra involved with defending a pacesetter than strengthening the organisation. After the election of Mallikarjun Kharge because the Congress president, which was applauded by many as he turned the primary non-Gandhi president in over 25 years, not a lot has modified; each week, a senior Congress chief leaves the celebration as a result of disagreements or different causes. Nobody has witnessed Kharge trying to quell the discontent of those leaders or pursuing an answer.
How can the Congress repair its organisational drawback if everybody within the celebration continues to guard the Gandhi household? In quite a lot of states, the Congress’ organisational power has reached a low level. Political events akin to AAP, the TMC, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), and different regional events have been taking votes away from the Congress celebration. The celebration is unable to run its personal home within the states the place the combat is primarily between the BJP and the Congress. Nobody has ever seen the celebration go above and past its pretentiousness to settle disputes within the latest previous, whether or not it was beneath the Gandhis or Kharge.
On the most, Congress sends some high leaders to douse discontent, who as a substitute of tackling the difficulty, create extra chaos, after which the celebration loses. The most effective instance of this case is the lack of Congress in Punjab.
Individualistic Politics
The principle drawback, at the moment, ought to be whether or not the celebration ought to proceed to give attention to such individualised politics or combat for the precise considerations of democracy. There isn’t any denying that each democracy has its personal issues and limitations. Speaking about these limitations is a vital duty of the Opposition political events. However on this occasion, the difficulty is that Rahul Gandhi ought to have been extra cautious talking about India as a result of when an individual speaks about his or her personal nation, the terminology employed shouldn’t be the identical as that of a political rally.
Gandhi’s phrases ought to have been much more nuanced or ought to have been considered as his personal statements. Congress had the prospect to take such a place, however they selected to remain busy inside this slugfest. The celebration’s politics can’t transfer previous the Gandhi household as a result of they’re caught in a rut of ignorance and inaction. Leaders shouldn’t prioritise worshipping the Gandhis since doing so simply reveals their sycophancy. Each single supporter of Congress ought to concentrate on and agree with the truth that Gandhis can’t carry votes to help the celebration in successful elections.
There’s not a single instance previously a number of years the place the Gandhis have led the elections and introduced victory. It’s unhappy to see that the grand previous celebration continues to be ready for one individual to develop up and grow to be a mature politician, though they’ve misplaced elections time and again. Solely a dynast might have such a privilege. Congress’ present dynastic and individualistic politics has introduced the celebration to its knees.
After the success of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, it was time for the Congress to work with the opposite Opposition events to kind a coalition that voters might consider in. In a democracy, it’s as much as the events within the Opposition to placed on a reputable present of opposition. Fixed private assaults on Prime Minister Modi and harsh criticisms of Indian democracy from international soil received’t assist the Congress in any approach. Neither will it improve the celebration’s odds of successful elections nor enhance its standing in parliamentary democracy. For this reason the fault strains of Rahul Gandhi at the moment are harming the hopes of the Congress.
The writer is a Columnist and Doctoral Analysis Scholar In Media & Politics. He tweets @sayantan_gh. The views expressed on this article are these of the writer and don’t signify the stand of this publication.
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