The Congress debacle

The Delhi election results have been historic for both the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) who literally swept the capital as well as the Congress whose debacle has led to nationwide criticisms and triggered discourses.

The country’s largest and the oldest party with democratic outlook, the Congress failed to grab even a single seat in the Delhi polls. The disaster completes the demolition of the party which had started after the fall in 2014 national polls. Founded by Allan Octavian Hume, a civil servant and ornithologist in British India, the Indian National Congress led the nation for more than 15 years. In its 130 years of history, the party has been able to sort out any issue that came its way, including discords or splits due to its level-headed leadership and brilliant leaders. Congress has always reiterated its stand as a secularist, democratic and socialist party. But the magic seems to work no more with the power and position of the Congress seemingly deteriorating and the party experiencing shameful defeats at the hands of BJP and now AAP.

Experts, political analysts as well as prominent journalists are debating and discoursing the causes of the party’s failure while party leaders doesn’t seem to be concerned of the current predicament. Instead of carrying out introspection, adopting steps to rectify the past mistakes and move ahead aiming a resurrection is apparently not happening. The presence and the impact of the Congress have been huge due to their secularist and democratic views, which mainly came as a relief to the minorities. This becomes particularly relevant in a scenario where the ring wing hardliners are bent upon turning the country into a ‘one religion’ nation. The centrist stance the party follows therefore makes it essential to bring them back to the mainstream politics and thus improve the current situation. The future of democracy in the country is at stake but the party is least bothered of its present state. Rahul Gandhi who is literally leading the party has been a butt of jokes with his speeches and his body language mocked widely. He lacks the organizing skill and the commanding power over his allies required to pull off an impressive show.

At present there are no inspiring leaders at the national or regional level like Nehru and Indira Gandhi to control and direct the party. The Gandhi dynasty has fallen. The Congress should hire capable politicians who could restore the party’s image and correct the errors at the same time keeping in mind that they were once the last strand of hope for a million people across the country including the minority and the backward communities. New ideas and inspiring members capable of changing the fate of Congress should be welcomed and the option of a non-Gandhi family member at the top should be kept open. The future is bleak for the Congress unless it undergoes a complete revamping. One has yet to see if the leaders at the top would realize their present state and accede to the inevitable change.