Sonia, Rahul fail to revive fighting spirit

The Assembly results in Maharashtra and Haryana have isolated the Congress further. It wanted to check the NCP in Maharashtra, but instead, handed over the key state to the BJP on a platter.

The Congress, heading the UPA, could have stopped the BJP in Maharashtra by uniting secular parties. But it did not as the party thought that the antiincumbency would work against the Sharad Pawarled party and the split in the BJP- Shiv Sena alliance would help it regain lost ground under the leadership of Mr Prithviraj Chavan. But the Grand Old Party miscalculated once again.

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi was leading the BJP’s election campaign from the front in these states without a credible face, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and vice- president Rahul Gandhi failed to enthuse the rank and file of the party and failed to revive the killer instinct among them.

Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav had checked the BJP in Uttar Pradesh in the Assembly bypolls. But this spirit had been missing in the Congress in Maharashtra and Haryana as well, with a section of the party conceding that anti- incumbency ( 10 years in Haryana and 15 in Maharashtra) would certainly damage the Congress’ prospects.

The Congress could not take “corrective steps” even after its crushing defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, and in these states because of the dilemma on key issues, which had reflected in its pre- poll strategy, campaigning, selection of candidates and projection of leaders against the BJP’s chief campaigner Narendra Modi. Mr Sharad Pawar had wanted the Congress, NCP, Samajwadi Party, PWP and RPI factions to come together against the BJP in the Maharashtra polls with a tactical understanding with the BSP. But the Congress managers thought it would weaken the party further in the long run.

Now, Mr Modi would certainly work on turning Maharashtra into another Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Blaming Prithviraj Chavan, MPCC chief Manikrao Thakre and others would not help the Congress for the simple reason that Mrs Gandhi and Mr Gandhi had remained passive after the LS defeat.