The crisis in the Congress
Scindia’s exit reflects the party’s systemic weaknesses
Jyotiraditya Scindia — a former Union minister and Member of Parliament, one of the most important next-generation leaders of the Congress, and a key figure in Madhya Pradesh politics with a substantial mass base — has decided to quit the Congress, dealing a major blow to the party. Mr Scindia’s decision is a telling comment on the drift in the Congress, where uncertainty over leadership, organisational disarray, and the absence of a roadmap for recovery have created a crisis.
After the devastating loss in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi quit as party president. After weeks of uncertainty, Sonia Gandhi took charge, but with the understanding that this was an interim arrangement. She is said to be keen to have Mr Gandhi take over again, but he has been reluctant. This has left the rest of the party directionless. It has paralysed the ability of the Congress to accommodate the aspirations of younger leaders. Many such leaders can see their most critical political years being wasted. With no clear signals from the top, leaders are getting impatient and seeking new opportunities. There has also been a failure to craft a political response to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Congress workers, on the ground, do not have the political vocabulary, resources, and the organisational muscle to take on the BJP — which erodes their morale.
Mr Scindia’s exit will possibly lead to the Congress losing power in Madhya Pradesh. But its implications go far beyond that. The party’s preference for loyalty over merit, and its desire to play safe by preferring the old guard, could have worked if it was in power. But when it is out, factors such as age, ability and mass base should be given priority. Let alone with new India, the Congress does not seem to be in touch with even its own workers and their sentiments. If the Congress does not treat Mr Scindia’s exit with the seriousness it merits and attempts an immediate overhaul — including radical decisions on leadership — it will sink deeper into a political crisis.