DNA Edit: Karnataka Blues — Congress must now think about life beyond Rahul

The Congress has more reason to feel worried than joyous at the final outcome in Karnataka and the reason is not just Rahul Gandhi’s poor performance in the polls, but his inability to stitch up alliances. Do note that it was not Rahul who stitched up the post-poll alliance with the JD(S) but his mother Sonia, with JD(S) leader Deve Gowda reportedly making it clear that he would not deal with Rahul. The fact that senior political leaders are not willing to talk to the Congress president does not portend well either for Rahul or the party going forward. It’s not just senior Opposition leaders. It is an open secret that Rahul is fighting the old guard in his party and Karnataka was essential for him to boost his credentials.

Post Karnataka, Rahul was believed to have wanted to reconstitute the CWC — Congress Working Committee — to give more key assignments to his loyalists, a task that will be more difficult now. Rahul will have to cool his heels for a while, as the party realises that his name does not have the capacity to turn votes into seats in crucial areas. Not just Rahul, people considered close to the Congress president — such as Divya Spandana, a former MP from Mandya and Madhu Yaksh Goud, one of the secretaries in charge of Karnataka — also failed to make a mark.

It was instead veteran Congress leaders from Karnataka such as DK Shivakumar — who made sure that the ‘captured’ Congress MLAs remained where they were — which in turn ensured victory. The old guard had saved the day, while Rahul had failed to deliver yet again, leading to the suggestion that Congress may now finally have to learn how to manage without him.