Congress looks inward, picks many faults

Party leaders point to poor choice of alliance, lack of resources

Trounced in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand assembly elections, and caught off-guard in Goa and Manipur despite winning the highest seats, Congress leaders in the four states have their views on what went wrong, who is to blame, and what is the way forward. Here are the voices from the ground:

UTTAR PRADESH

Uttar Pradesh Congress leaders blamed All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and in charge of the state, Ghulam Nabi Azad, for “misguiding” the high command on the issue of allying with the Samajwadi Party (SP). The UP Congress Committee (UPCC) was not taken into confidence when the decision was taken, according to state-level leaders.

According to them, party vicepresident Rahul Gandhi’s Deoria-Delhi Kisan Yatra had received a positive response across the state and farmers were looking towards the Congress. By aligning with the SP, the Congress distanced itself from voters.

“Ihavespokentomostofdistrict Congress committee leaders. Everybody blames Azad and poor ticket distribution system in many districts,” said a senior UPCC office-bearer.

Way forward: The Congress should end the alliance and go in for organisational revamp as well as collective leadership model at the state and district level, according to state-level leaders.

UTTARAKHAND

In the face of the ‘Modi wave’, the perceived “one-man” show by chief minister Harish Rawat did not help. Party leaders claimed the Congress state unit failed to match the quantum of resources put in by the BJP for its campaign blitzkrieg. A few leaders admitted their government failed to showcase their work and policies and did not connect with people.

After the exit of senior party leaders over the past one year, the Congress lacked a second line of leadership on most of those seats. Party members blamed Rawat for preventing a second line of leadership from emerging.

Way forward: Rawat said, “We certainly lacked in resources as compared to the quantum (of resources) pumped into the state for winning the elections by the BJP. We will soon carry out a detailed review of the party’s performance in the assembly polls.”

GOA

In Goa, they blamed it on failure to take a decision despite emerging as the single largest party. Instead of announcing the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader, it delayed the process, taking the allegiance of Goa Forward and independent MLAs for granted. Not announcing an alliance hurt. While Manohar Parrikar hinted at the BJP allying with the MGP and said they would be able to prove majority, the Congress leadership remained silent.

Infighting for the post of the CM is the main reason why Congress lost out to the BJP despite being short of only four seats, according to local leaders. The Congress could not decide in the face of pressure, sources said.

Assuming that the BJP would not be able to manage the numbers was a mistake. It was only after the BJP announced an alliance on March 12 that the Congress finally made Babu Kavalekar the CLP leader. Vijay Sardesai of Goa Forward, which has three seats, said, “I know a lot of people won’t be happy with our choice , but the Congress disappointed us with their sheer lack of decision making.”

MANIPUR

Newly elected Congress MLAs blamed BJP’s “money power” and “faulty EVMs” for their party’s failure to get a majority.

“They (BJP) indulged in all sort of tricks. They kidnapped the Independent MLA from Jiribam, Ahsab Uddin, who was planning to support us.

They also pumped in lot of money to influence MLAs from other parties,” said A Mirabai Devi, Congress’s lone woman legislator who won from Patsoi.

“The role of EVMs was doubtful in some areas,” claimed Y Surchandra Singh, who retained his Kakching seat. The Congress is formulating a strategy to defeat the BJP in the floor test.