‘India’ and Congress not on the Same Page 

‘India’ and Congress not on the Same Page 

‘India’ and Congress not on the Same Page 

Six months after its creditable performance in the Lok Sabha elections, the Opposition’s INDIA bloc finds itself at a crossroads. The alliance did well in the Jharkhand and J&K Assembly elections, but the stunning losses in Haryana and Maharashtra have laid bare differences among its constituents.

The poor show of the Congress,  writes The Tribune “has dented its predominant position in INDIA, prompting Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee to throw her hat into the ring." Dissatisfied with the bloc’s functioning, Mamata has signalled her intention to take charge of the alliance, if given the opportunity. She has found support from Nationalist Congress Party stalwart Sharad Pawar, who has called her a ‘prominent leader’ of the nation.

It’s apparent that Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, “is losing ground as the face of INDIA….The Congress has no option but to pay heed to its partners. Overconfidence cost it dear in Haryana, where it chose to give short shrift to fellow INDIA members. Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena has not helped matters by hailing those who demolished the Babri Masjid, triggering a backlash from the Samajwadi Party, which has a sizeable Muslim vote bank in Uttar Pradesh. Mutual respect and accommodation must be the way forward if the bloc has to remain intact. Otherwise, this alliance might implode sooner or later, leaving the field open for the BJP and PM Modi.”

And now, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said Wednesday that his party will go solo in the upcoming Assembly elections in the national capital and there was no possibility of any alliance with the Congress.

 

Alliessupport for Mamata wake-up call for Congress

That is why, Mamata’s offer to lead the Opposition alliance shows and the traction her suggestion has got among the alliance partners, in the view of Asian Age are “a warning shot aimed at the Congress leadership, asking it not to take the alliance for granted and that it must be mindful of the task on hand.”

I.N.D.I.A. bloc was formed in 2023 with the goal of what they said stopping the BJP from its series of assaults on the Constitution and its institutions and preventing the saffron alliance from coming to power again after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, among other things. The goal was to be attained by bringing together all those who are opposed to the Hindutva brigade.

The Congress, given its historical role and its presence across the country, was perceived to be the natural choice. But the party chose to neglect its responsibility when it virtually ignored its allies in the elections to the Assemblies in five states held in October-November 2023.

The Congress writes The Asia Age “must disabuse itself of such thoughts that it commands the leadership of the centrist forces in the country by default, that the Opposition system revolves around it and that the party centered around the Gandhi family.

“Each one of the major allies, be it the Trinamul Congress, the Samajwadi Party, the DMK, the RJD or the AAP, is leading its fight against the BJP in its own right and has the wherewithal to give the saffron combine a run for its money. It is the Congress which has consistently failed their expectations, be it in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana or in Chhattisgarh.”

 

Challenges for the Congress: short-lived optimism

To add to these setbacks, the loss in Maharashtra has revealed deeper structural and strategic flaws in the Congress. These setbacks, writes The Statesman  “are particularly damaging as they question the Congress’s ability to convert national gains into regional victories and lead the India Bloc with authority.” After  the Lok Sabha elections “the Congress appeared to reclaim its role as a unifying force against the BJP, framing governance as a moral and ideological battle. Yet, the optimism of this success has been short-lived, with subsequent defeats in Haryana and Maharashtra exposing critical vulnerabilities in its electoral machinery. In Haryana, the Congress failed to leverage anti-incumbency sentiments or mobilise its voter base effectively. It also failed to manage rivalries within its state unit. The situation in Maharashtra was even more concerning. Despite being part of a strong coalition, the Congress could not compete with the ruling alliance’s targeted welfare schemes, particularly those aimed at women voters.”

Inability to perform consistently eroding its influence: Leadership gaps and poor coordination with allies further "compounded its problems, demonstrating a lack of preparedness for the high-stakes con test. These state-level setbacks have significant implications for the Congress’s leadership of the India Bloc. While the party remains the largest constituent of the alliance, its inability to perform consistently risks eroding its influence. Allies’ victories in Jharkhand and Jammu & Kashmir only highlighted the Congress’s struggles, raising doubts about its capacity to unify and lead the bloc effectively.”

What the Congress needs to do: The steps  Congress must undertake are “strengthening regional leadership, fostering grass roots connections, and tailoring strategies to local issues……..The party also needs to rebuild trust and synergy with its allies, ensuring cohesive efforts in future elections.”

Addressing “systemic concerns that resonate with key voter groups, particularly women and rural communities, should form the core of its agenda…..While its Lok Sabha performance reaffirmed its relevance, recent failures underscore the need for significant reforms and strategic clarity. If the party is unable to adapt and address these challenges, its aspirations to lead the opposition coalition may falter, leaving it vulnerable to being overshadowed by its own allies.

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