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State of Congress: a party cut off from society, preoccupied with leadership

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7 years ago

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State of Congress: a party cut off from society, preoccupied with leadership

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]By Rajesh Sinha

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting today to discuss the party’s second successive humiliating defeat in Lok Sabha elections went along expected lines.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi offered to step down from his position. CWC rejected it unanimously.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the CWC has given its party chief Rahul Gandhi the right to make changes to restructure the party. He said that a plan for this will be brought soon.

The meeting was attended by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, chief ministers of party-ruled states and other top leaders from across the country. Congress won just 52 seats in the 542-member lower house, up from 44 seats it had secured in its worst-ever performance in the 2014 general elections.

Rahul Gandhi, according to media reports, is adamant at quitting his post and has also told party leaders not to choose his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to replace him. The unsaid part is the intention to counter the criticism of the party belonging to the ‘dynasty’.

The deliberations of the Congress always go along the same lines with similar decisions. It is a classic example of “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. It may not be insanity, as the quote, widely attributed to Albert Einstein, defines it, but it certainly depicts loss of organisational memory, lack of imagination, and laziness of thought translated into lack of action on the ground.

A day earlier, media reports said there have been voices within to introspect on why the party failed to reach out to the people. The Congress’s unprecedented slide has raised questions about both its future and the role of the Nehru-Gandhi family, which led the party through some of its most glorious days, said reports.

The most crucial aspect that needs to be fixed is missing in all the deliberations the party has held.

The party badly needs to put its organisation in order (or, as some would say, ‘build an organisation’ to begin with), work out a clear stand on social and political issues, and establish a connect with the people.

The BJP is the only party that engages with society in its political work which is complemented by its associated outfits in the RSS fraternity. They run schools, they organise functions, yatras, celebrate festivals, et al. Congress leaders hold only iftar parties, at the most.

The party needs to be in touch with what is happening in society – ‘feel its pulse’, so to say. This is sorely missing. The Congress does not only lack a social agenda to guide and lead the people, it is out of touch with them.

During Narendra Modi government first term, NDA-II, there were several occasions when different sections of people in different parts of the country held strong protest rallies and marches. All that energy went waste without Congress or any other opposition party tapping into it. Where was the Congress when people were getting lynched and ‘gaurakshaks’ were on rampage? What did it do when JNU students and the institution itself was targeted? Where was it when farmers protests – the strongest in decades – happened, and happened repeatedly? What did it do to organise or mobilise the lakhs of students and unemployed youth?

The Congress was unaware of their resentment till it was out in the open. The party didn’t have a clue any such issue existed. When the protests happened, the Congress issued statements expressing its support. But the party was never seen with the people, working on the ground. The support was confined to press conferences.

Congress spokespersons would issue a statement and the job was considered done. Sometimes, to express stronger support, the statement would come from Rahul Gandhi himself. That was the highest level of engagement with people and social issues.

This was not always the case with Congress. Congress workers would take out ‘prabhatpheris’ in which they would go out and meet/contact people in morning walks, hold ‘chaupal’ in villages and talk about social issues, social reform or politics. That was about three decades ago: a long long time.Now they are not to be seen anywhere. What stops the Congress from running schools and hospitals, theatre programmes, promoting artists, sportspersons, centres of wings to help resolve people’s problems? Just lack of imagination and thought.

The Congressalso needs to give up its reliance only on a leader at the top to build its political capital. In fact, from the time of Indira Gandhi onwards, the party has relied exclusively on a top leader to get votes. Everything is top-down.

This was brought out hilariously in an interview of Congress leader and Madhya Pradesh chief minister in The Indian Express:

“Q. To what do you attribute the rout the Congress suffered in Madhya Pradesh?

  1. An assessment will be made…I have not been in touch with Delhi yet.”

A state’s chief minister needs the party’s central leadership to tell him what went wrong, or approve his assessment.

This needs to change, and it has to go to the bottom of the party – even if this change is also ordered from the top.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Mamata Banerjee warns BJP, EC over Bengal polls, says they will be accountable

Mamata Banerjee holds BJP and Election Commission responsible for any incidents during Bengal polls, raising concerns over officer transfers.

Published

15 hours ago

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March 17, 2026

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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has held the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission of India responsible for any untoward incidents in the state during the upcoming assembly elections, following the transfer of key officials.

Addressing concerns over administrative reshuffles, Banerjee said that changes involving senior bureaucrats, including the chief secretary and home secretary, could affect governance and law and order in the state during a crucial period.

The Trinamool Congress chief also announced candidates for 291 constituencies for the elections scheduled to be held in two phases on April 23 and 29.

Criticising the Election Commission, Banerjee alleged that the transfers were being carried out in a manner that benefits the BJP. She questioned the timing of the decisions and said such actions weaken the state administration at a sensitive time.

She further raised concerns about disaster management and essential services, stating that experienced officials familiar with the state’s situation have been replaced. According to her, this could impact administrative efficiency if any emergency arises before the new government is formed.

Protecting Bengal’s identity

Banerjee emphasised that the election is not merely about forming a government but about safeguarding Bengal’s identity and existence. She accused the BJP of misusing central agencies and attempting to influence the electoral process.

She urged that elections should be conducted peacefully, without external interference, and in line with democratic principles. The chief minister also expressed confidence that her party would return to power with a stronger mandate.

Appealing to voters, she called for support for the Trinamool Congress, asserting that the people of Bengal will ultimately decide the outcome and protect their democratic rights.

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Mamata Banerjee writes to poll chief over officers’ reshuffle, calls move arbitrary

Mamata Banerjee has written to the Chief Election Commissioner, calling the reshuffle of senior Bengal officials arbitrary and raising concerns over constitutional norms.

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1 day ago

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March 17, 2026

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mamta banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, raising strong objections to the recent reshuffle of senior bureaucrats in the state ahead of the assembly elections.

In her letter, Banerjee described the move by the Election Commission of India as “arbitrary” and expressed “deep concern” over what she termed a unilateral decision. She urged the Commission to refrain from adopting such measures in the future.

The Chief Minister pointed out that while the Election Commission does have the authority to make administrative changes during elections, past practice has involved consultation with the state government. According to her, the Commission would typically seek a panel of officers from the state and make its selections from that list, maintaining what she called constitutional propriety and administrative convention.

Banerjee warned that bypassing this process could undermine the institutional credibility and long-standing legacy of the poll body, and may also affect the foundational principles of the constitutional framework.

The controversy stems from the Commission’s decision, taken soon after announcing election dates, to remove several top officials from election-related duties. These include the state’s Chief Secretary, Director General of Police, Kolkata Police Commissioner, and Home Secretary.

The Commission has maintained that the reshuffle was aimed at ensuring a peaceful and violence-free electoral process.

Reacting sharply, Banerjee alleged bias in the decision-making, claiming that the removal of the Chief Secretary indicated an anti-women stance. She also accused the Commission of selectively targeting officers, suggesting that the move favoured individuals aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress escalated its protest, staging a day-long walkout from the Rajya Sabha earlier in the day.

Responding to the criticism, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Election Commission is a constitutional authority, adding that questioning its decisions in Parliament is inappropriate and unproductive.

The Commission has appointed a new Chief Secretary in place of the outgoing official as part of the reshuffle.

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BJP releases first list of 47 candidates for Kerala assembly polls

The BJP has released its first list of 47 candidates for the Kerala Assembly elections scheduled for April 9, including three former Union ministers.

Published

2 days ago

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March 16, 2026

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BJP releases list of candidates

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday released its first list of 47 candidates for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections scheduled for April 9.

Voting will take place for all 140 seats in the state assembly, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4. A party or coalition needs at least 70 seats to secure a majority in the House.

Among the candidates announced in the first list are three former Union ministers — Rajeev Chandrasekhar, V. Muraleedharan and George Kurian.

Key candidates announced

Kerala BJP chief and former Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar has been fielded from the Nemom assembly constituency. In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, Chandrasekhar lost the Thiruvananthapuram seat to three-time MP Shashi Tharoor, but he led in the Nemom assembly segment during that contest. The party believes this performance strengthens its prospects in the constituency.

Nemom has held political significance for the BJP since 2016, when senior leader O. Rajagopal won the seat and became the party’s first-ever MLA in the 140-member Kerala Legislative Assembly. The victory marked the BJP’s initial breakthrough in the state assembly.

However, the seat returned to the Left camp in the 2021 Assembly election when V. Sivankutty defeated BJP leader Kummanam Rajasekharan.

Former Union minister V. Muraleedharan will contest from the Kazhakoottam constituency, while George Kurian has been nominated from Kanjirappally.

Other candidates in the list

According to the list released by the party, several other candidates have also been announced for key constituencies. P. C. George will contest from Poonjar, R. Sreelekha from Vattiyoorkavu and Padmaja Venugopal from Thrissur.

The BJP has also nominated Sobha Surendran from Palakkad, Navya Haridas from Kozhikode North and Kavitha K. S. from Sulthanbathery, a reserved constituency.

Raji Prasad will contest from the Kunnathur seat reserved for Scheduled Castes, while R. Rashmi has been fielded from Kottarakkara.

Political backdrop in Kerala

Kerala’s electoral politics has traditionally alternated between the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). However, the BJP has been attempting to expand its presence in the state.

The alternating trend was interrupted in the 2021 Assembly election when the electorate returned the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government to power for a second consecutive term.

The BJP believes recent electoral performances and local body successes have strengthened its position as it prepares to contest the upcoming assembly polls.

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