Congress president Mallikarjuna Kharge and Gandhiji need to realize that the repeated failure to convert electoral contests to victory was not because of a strong competitor, but because the enemy was within, not outside. The fact-finding teams appointed after each debacle were nothing more than eye candy because many of those entrusted with the task of finding the truth were the cause of confusion.
The Congress top brass has to go through a complete overhaul and their political acumen is questionable in most respects as their performance has been sub par. The people tasked with finding solutions must first realize that the problems are themselves.
Indira Gandhi was a great admirer of Joan of Arc. She is inspired by faith, “There really is no failure except from within. If you are not defeated there, you win. The current Congress has an institutional structure that is unwieldy and ineffective. Most office workers have no jobs and no one to recognize them or their contributions in the areas they come from. They are just dead wood.
It should also be remembered that Rahul Gandhi, who has been doing well as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has had to overcome many hurdles thrown by his party colleagues. The term “Pappu” was not coined by the BJP, but senior Congressmen, who felt threatened by his appearance a decade ago, tried to discredit him from the start to prevent another power grab. Many of these esteemed partymen were in the inner ax of the then Congress President Sonia Gandhi and enjoyed immense influence and influence.
The BJP came much later, and on many occasions the kumkum brigade was given inside information to cast Rahul Gandhi in a bad light. People have changed, but they have not. There are also apprehensions in party circles about the loyalty of some of these senior executives. Many workers see them as BJP stooges. These suspicions may be difficult to establish, but they must be properly addressed as the saffron brigade has the resources and the ability to infiltrate any political party.
The success of Operation Tamar in many regions and the shift of key Congress leaders to the BJP is not a mere coincidence. This is well thought out by the BJP's strategy, which wants to weaken its opposition as much as possible while consolidating its own position.
It is another matter that the RSS is not happy with these political migrations at the expense of loyal workers of the BJP due to the leadership of other parties, especially the Congress, accommodating political tourists.
To begin with, Congress must have a small but efficient organizational structure that includes up-and-coming leaders who can contribute in the future. Since the BJP was not split after the 2014 elections, the party could not fight back and stop the BJP. Historically, Congress would energize after a split following electoral defeats, this has not happened, resulting in old leaders continuing and new and younger activists not getting the many opportunities they should have.
In 1978, following the second split in the Congress, Indira Gandhi appointed Bhuta Singh, who served as the sole general secretary for some time before competing with Abdul Rehman Anduley. Antule was given the charge of the states as assembly elections were around the corner, and both of them helped bring the party back to power under the overall leadership of Indira Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi.
Time has come to see some new and fresh faces that the party can fight for and deliver. In Haryana, if someone like Sachin Pilot had been given the responsibility, many problems could have been solved. The party should have a full-time political secretary whose understanding of the political situation is based on his experience in the organization. Barring some veterans, any former Indian Youth Congress leader can be considered for the job.
Similarly, communication is a very important part of any political system. Its leader must be a political body that reacts appropriately to emerging situations and at the same time helps shape the narrative. Manish Tewari, who was the NSUI and Youth Congress president apart from being the Information and Broadcasting Minister, could be a candidate. Apart from being politically savvy, he is also very articulate and comfortable with language.
The problem the party faces is that Kharge is not asserting himself as chief minister and is allowing many people sheltering under the umbrella close to Gandhi to dictate terms. Gandhis are an important and integral part of the hierarchy and they are the last to be appointed to important positions.
The short is to dump more baggage on Congress. Only tried and trusted advisors can help the party recover. between us.
