The Congress’ affairs in Rajasthan are going from bizarre to absurd what with its topmost leaders coming up with statement after statement striking at the root of organisational discipline and the party leadership acting as if it is blissfully unaware of the existence of its unit in the poll-bound state, leave alone the issues there.
The BJP has won back-to-back Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019 but several states have chosen to elect a Congress government or fronts in which the party is a partner in these nine years; they even got the Congress giving the BJP a hot chase in states such as Haryana and Gujarat, showing their disinterest in the BJP campaign for a “Congress-mukt Bharat”. But the Congress has failed to live up to expectations and fallen easy prey to the machinations of an opponent who has absolutely no scruples when it comes to the question of seizing power.
The Congress after the 1970s was called a power-hungry party for it did everything possible, and impossible in a democracy, to be in government and enjoy its perks. But the Congress of the 21st century appears so apathetical that it cannot run governments even in states where people chose them. Its leaders have forgotten that power comes with a cost, and especially so when the opponent is a 24-by-7 political formation.
Rajasthan goes to polls later this year and the party has a fighting chance in the state as the BJP is also riven with factionalism that could undo any perceived advantage enjoyed by it in a state that has a revolving door policy in elections. It is imperative for the Congress to put up a good show in Rajasthan before it gets ready for the Lok Sabha polls. It’s time the leadership of the grand old party of Indian politics acknowledges this fact.
