Assembly Elections 2017: How Congress can get inspired by BJP to reinvent itself

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has proved himself to be a national icon. No leader since the late Indira Gandhi has had such a mass appeal like Modi has had since he began campaigning for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

One thing needs to be accepted: whether you like him or hate him, Narendra Modi knows how to reach out to the audience. This explains the BJP’s complete dominance in Uttar Pradesh. True, they lost in Punjab, but that was more a SAD loss than a BJP one. The exit polls expected the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party to be the frontrunner, but the Congress emerged victorious. Conspiracy theorists have already said that a number of BJP supporters voted for Congress just so that AAP loses. A number of people reacted on Twitter, saying that they were happier with an AAP loss than a Congress victory.

This brings us to the Congress party leadership. Party vice president Rahul Gandhi campaigned extensively in Uttar Pradesh, and even spent some time in Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur. But unlike the prime minister, who is cheered for his metaphor-filled rhetoric, Gandhi is ridiculed (in some cases rightly so) whenever he makes a speech.

In an interview with the Economic Times, historian Ramachandra Guha, who has been an outspoken critic of the Nehru-Gandhi family and the dynastical rule in the Congress, said that the Congress vice-president was an object of ridicule and contempt by people who would otherwise be attracted to a liberal Congress point of view. “There are intelligent, sensible people in the Congress but they are so dependent on the Gandhis. I have been struggling to understand this dependence,” he said.

Congress’ victory in Punjab is proof that the party can function without Gandhi. And much like Guha said in the interview, maybe it’s time that Gandhi retired from politics.

But the important question arises: Who after Rahul? People may suggest Priyanka Vadra, but again it’s the party’s dependence on the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, which needs to end. 

Currently, the Congress, despite its win in Punjab needs to introspect and think about its leadership, which has been non-existent. The Congress has, despite the loss, said that it needs the Gandhi family. There are those within the party that have questioned the leadership, and maybe it’s time for these individuals to break away from the main party, start their own, and even have a proper mandate and a leader with the same charisma as Narendra Modi, but one who can be a worthy opponent.