19

Feb

Congress rising from the ashes like Phoenix

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R.K. Misra

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New Delhi | Wednesday | 19 February 2025

Passion and politics take time, both in building and spending. Wise is the one who peppers the future with salt from the past. Courting dust is no threat to the Phoenix reborn from the ashes. But to do so, it must first burn.

The Indian National Congress has undergone this process many a time since its formation on December 28, 1885, in Bombay by a group of 72 people. Nine years later, at its 11th convention, when its strength crossed 1,500 delegates, there was great jubilation. Turned into a mass movement by Mahatma Gandhi, it spearheaded the fight for Independence, secured it, and ruled the country up to 1977. Defeated by a Janata coalition, it returned to power in 1980 and ruled until 1989 when it was once again defeated. The party formed the government at the head of a United Progressive Alliance (UPA) coalition in 1991 as well as in 2004 and 2009. The BJP came to power in 2014 and is now in its third term. Much has changed since then, but the historical imprint of the 140-year-old Congress on the national landscape is too vast to erase in such a short span, despite all efforts.

Three swallows do not make a summer, yet media messiahs have pronounced their verdict. The Congress is headed back to critical care. The Lok Sabha election resurgence of 2024 was a one-time wonder. The Haryana and Delhi State Assembly elections have confirmed this. The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A.), the 28-party Opposition grouping, is in a shambles, and Rahul Gandhi’s leadership appears directionless. Meanwhile, the Narendra Modi-led BJP reigns supreme.

 

Article at a Glance
The article examines the historical resilience and transformations of the Indian National Congress (INC) since its founding in 1885. Despite current media narratives predicting its decline, particularly after the 2024 elections, the author argues that Congress's significant historical impact cannot be easily erased.
The piece highlights the party's past successes and challenges, including its struggles against the BJP and Narendra Modi's rise. It notes that internal divisions and resistance to change have hindered Congress's revival, particularly under Rahul Gandhi's leadership.
However, Gandhi's efforts to reconnect with the party's Gandhian roots and present a distinct alternative to Modi's nationalism are seen as positive steps. The article concludes that while Congress is still evolving, historical trends suggest that political fortunes can shift, and the party has the potential to challenge the BJP's dominance if it embraces strong leadership and strategic reforms.
 

Contrast this to the media's applause for US President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cozy courtship, ignoring the growing stack of visible slights. Publicity surrounding Trump’s visit to India revives visions of 'happy days are here again,' with India slashing duties on American bourbon whisky while illegal immigrants return home in chains. Trump, in return, offers India the F-35 fighter jet, which Elon Musk once described as “obsolete in the age of drones.” Musk is now part of the Trump administration.

Doomsday prophecies for the Congress have existed since the time of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. It started with the concern, “Who after Nehru?” and later, his abilities were questioned following the 1962 Chinese aggression. Lal Bahadur Shastri, initially mocked for his humility, left the world wrapped in national respect, standing far taller than his physical build. Indira Gandhi, derided as a ‘gungi-gudiya’ (dumb doll), ended up dismantling the old guard, splitting Pakistan, and confronting the US Seventh Fleet and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger under the Nixon presidency.

Congress changed its nomenclature multiple times—Congress (I), Congress (R)—as she ruthlessly removed the old guard to infuse young blood. Many of today’s veterans were political newcomers during her tenure. Rajiv Gandhi, her successor, faced similar skepticism but led the telecom revolution and strengthened the Panchayati Raj system. Ironically, despite his family sacrificing two prime ministers in the fight against terrorism, he faced sedition charges, while current leaders get away with much worse.

The Congress failed to recognize the growing challenge posed by Narendra Modi, particularly after he became Gujarat’s Chief Minister. From day one, he locked horns with the Congress-led Centre, claiming it was targeting Gujarat. The Congress played into his hands by engaging on his terms, allowing him to set the narrative. He also invoked history, alleging that Vallabhbhai Patel was wronged by Nehru, while conveniently ignoring Indulal Yagnik, the leader of the Mahagujarat Movement, who was forgotten post-1960.

Internal divisions within Congress further hindered its revival. A striking example was Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Vikas Khoj’ yatra by the Youth Congress in Gujarat in 2014. It was a huge success, leading to the removal of bogus memberships and injecting youth energy into the party. However, the old guard resisted the change, preventing momentum from building.

Shankersinh Vaghela, a former BJP leader who rebelled against Keshubhai Patel’s government in 1995, later joined the Congress and faced mounting frustration. He created the ‘Shakti Dal’ as an effective counter to the BJP’s Bajrang Dal, but Congress leaders forced him to disband it. He believed the Congress’s Sewa Dal was too weak to counter BJP forces. His strategy was evident during the Radhanpur by-election, where Modi was BJP’s election in-charge.

Rahul Gandhi’s approach of returning Congress to its Gandhian roots, distinguishing it from Modi’s BJP, is a step in the right direction. The voters now have a clear choice between two distinct national entities. His decision to take the road less traveled has allowed people to witness changes firsthand. The 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where the BJP now relies on regional allies, prove this strategy's merit. However, Congress requires the ruthlessness of Indira Gandhi to remove old guard spoilers and empower youth leaders. Modi can be outwitted only through strong groundwork. Ironically, the BJP is adopting Congress’s old inefficiencies, making this the ideal time to forge a futuristic Congress built on intelligence and strategy.

Congress remains a work in progress under Rahul Gandhi. Those mocking him should remember BJP’s weak position in 1984 when it had only two Lok Sabha seats—A.K. Patel from Gujarat and C. Janga Reddy from Andhra Pradesh. Even at its lowest in 2014, Congress still had 44 seats. The BJP’s early attempts at power under Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1996 lasted only 13 days, then 13 months in 1998-99, before completing a full term from 1999-2004. Modi’s current tenure is BJP’s third term, but it still has historical catching up to do.

As the saying goes, “Birth, rebirth, as the waiting die. Old love, new love sprouts wings to fly.”(The author is a Gandhinagar- based senior journalist who has been associated with TOI, Pioneer and other national newspapers)

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