Ashish Dua. In the last 15 years, the Congress has contested three Lok Sabha and approximately 75 assembly elections. Its strike rate in these elections is approximately 80 percent. The party, which once ruled almost the entire country, now holds power in only three states: Karnataka, Telangana, and Himachal Pradesh. After losing the assembly elections in Delhi, Haryana, and Maharashtra, and now in Bihar, there’s no guarantee that its government will remain in power in any state until the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. The results in Bihar are not unexpected. Those who have been monitoring the party leadership’s functioning knew that neither the methodology nor the results would change.

Who would have imagined during the Haryana Assembly elections that the BJP would win a third term in the state? It was also unimaginable that the Congress would, after 2019, find itself facing defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. This “masterwork” of turning victory into defeat has not only Congress workers but also Congress supporters who voted for it, and even the intelligentsia, worried about the future of the country’s oldest party. If anyone isn’t worried about the electoral losses for more than a decade, it’s the Congress’s state and national leadership.

Over the past 11 years, the Congress high command has ignored its own criteria. Haryana is a prime example. It took 11 years for the State Congress Committee to elect a District President. Isn’t it a matter of introspection that no decision could be made on the leader of the legislative party in Haryana for a year? Why did the Congress leadership allow the BJP government to enjoy the lack of a Leader of the Opposition? Allegations of corruption in ticket distribution surfaced in the Haryana Assembly elections. Serious flaws in ticket distribution were also exposed, but despite the humiliating defeat, the party high command continued to remain unaccountable. Arrogant leaders’ inattention to issues and disregard for the sentiments of party workers lead to negative consequences. Those responsible for candidate selection in Haryana, facing serious allegations against them, were also given the responsibility for candidate selection in Bihar. The result is clear.

It’s strange to think that a party centuries old isn’t learning from its mistakes. Decisions regarding Rajya Sabha seats were made solely based on vested interests and personal preferences. Congress lost two Rajya Sabha seats, one in Rajasthan and the other in Haryana. If the Telangana Chief Minister hadn’t been proactive, the position of Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha might have been lost, but who cares? Favoritism and opacity are the enemies of internal democracy. The resolutions passed at the Udaipur convention, one person-one post and a five-year term for each post, were crucial, yet these resolutions are being ignored by the very people who passed them. How can such people be expected to introspect?

Talks of providing opportunities in elections to new faces with educated and clean image, dedicated to the party and organization, and talented individuals from non-political backgrounds remained mere words. Promises made by the top leadership proved hollow and meaningless. What prevailed were dynasties and the influence of money. Amidst the discussion of vote theft, there is also a growing debate about compromises to principles within the party and the discrepancy between words and actions. A case in point is the 2019 Gurugram Assembly elections in which Congress candidate was not only accused of vote theft, but 18 FIRs were also filed against him, and the top leadership took cognizance of them, yet he was still nominated. Allegations of rigging and inducements continued to plague Youth Congress elections in several states. Candidates sponsored by wealthy or prominent leaders consistently won these elections, but the leadership remained blind to the consequences.

The first rule of effective management is to promote merit, not ignore it. Neglecting talent has pushed many capable leaders into the lap of other parties. Calling those who have contributed their body, mind, and money for years a “lame horse” is either an excuse or a refusal to distinguish between right and wrong. The ability of the trainer and rider is crucial in making a horse into a racehorse. If someone chooses a weak horse instead of a suitable one, what can the trainer and rider do? Punjab and Assam are states where the leadership is responsible for the elimination of the race. It is well known which “capable” horses were selected and which “incapable” horses were pushed off the racing track. If repeated defeats fail to teach a lesson, it is not the fault of Congress supporters. In the national interest, we need a strong opposition that understands the ground issues, not one that imposes its own issues on the public.