Not so long ago, the Congress seemed invincible. Rahul Gandhi was a youth icon. The people loved Manmohan Singh and were in awe of his impressive CV. Meanwhile, the BJP was in a shambles, with more infighting than members and more PM candidates than seats in Parliament.
How times change. BJP continues to get stronger every day even as Namo runs the campaign for both the BJP and the Congress. Namo sets a weekly topic — from burqa to dehati aurat to Sardar Patel — and Congressmen write essays attacking him. And while victory for Namo is not certain, the odds continue to improve.
The Congress, on its part, is trying to keep up a brave façade though it is imploding internally. Mistakes of a few Congressmen can cost a lot of other Congressmen their careers. The party campaign lacks strategy and its key leaders speak in arrogant, defensive tones. Not once have any of them admitted, “Yes, we have made mistakes. India has changed, we need to change too.”
No, the Congress won’t say it because deep down, apart from a few MPs, most believe they do not need to change. They think the advisors, naysayers, Facebookers, Tweeters, investment banks and media-editors are simply ‘out to get them’. They believe real India is still with the Congress, and only the noisy upper class buzzes around like irritating mosquitoes. Enough chamchas exist to endorse this view. Hence all good advice is ignored. Internal or external suggestions will be met with “you new-age types don’t know politics” or “we know how to win elections, so shut up”.
Yes, the Congress leadership is in denial. Sadly it is expected to remain so until after the 2014 elections. Maybe a jolt in the results remains the only hope for the party to undertake long overdue reforms.
For reform it must. It has relied far too much on a one-trick act — the Gandhi family. Indians have started to demand performance, with or without dynasty. People want to be empowered, not ruled. This empowerment is not a media creation or a Modi conspiracy. This is enduring social change. It is partly due to politics, but also due to factors like technology. For instance, the omnipresent mobile phone, has given a taste of empowerment to Indians. They want it in other aspects of life too. There is no going back from here. If the Congress ignores this, it will lose its relevance. The right and centre-driven BJP and the left and statedriven Federal Front could well become the two alternatives for India.
Of course, these risks haven’t registered. The arrogance of power makes it easy to laugh at naysayers. But for those who do care for the party, here are six clear identifiable moments which alienated Congress from its voters. The party would do well to reflect on them.
First was the AICC session in 2010, in the middle of the CWG scam. The nation seethed in rage over dirty toilets, collapsing bridges and massive CWG corruption but the Congress chose to stay silent on the scam. Instead, TV channels showed a guffawing Kalmadi and Sonia Gandhi making in-party jokes. This key blunder seeded the anti-Congress sentiment of today.
Two, dealing with Anna and Ramdev — the bungled up Jan Lokpal bill discussions, arresting Anna, relenting to Anna, ministers at airport for Ramdev, cops to kick out Ramdev. Need more be said? Who approved all this?
Three, the Delhi rape — the government acted too late, did too little.
Four, Modi-denial two years ago to Modi-obsession now. Congress slept on Modi’s rising star. What is worse is now they aren’t sleeping at all. Every senior Congress member has made personal attacks on him, turning him into a bigger star.
Five, attempts to ban or control tweets, Facebook updates, media content, opinion polls and whatever else they don’t like. Free speech is the only catharsis available to suffering Indians. They will never give it up. Who is approving all this in the party? Is this how elections are won?
Six, Rahul Gandhi. What has he done? What does he want to do? What does he think? Do Indians have a right to know or not? Is anyone telling him his mistakes, or is being a chamcha the only Congress way to do things?
As said earlier, it is unlikely the Congress will pay heed to any advice. The organization is stuck. It needs change but those who are in control are reluctant. The BJP was in a similar position in the pre-Modi anointment days. They changed somewhat. Will the Congress too? Or do they need a 2014 report card recommending the same?