New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are perhaps, among the biggest losers of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections which witnessed a Modi wave reaching almost every corner of the country. Congress president Rahul Gandhi is undoubtedly facing the worst setback of his political career so far.
After taking over the reins from mother Sonia Gandhi, Rahul led the party from the front these elections, but he failed to notice the organisational drawbacks. Infighting had broken out between senior party leaders in states like Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, but instead of dealing with it firmly, Rahul chose the path of consensus. This was perceived by the voters as a sign of weakness.
Another cause for Congress’s poor show was the failure of the party to project Rahul as a strong leader who could match Modi, who was made out to be a superhuman personality by the BJP. That the Congress could not strike alliances with other opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi also contributed to the loss.
Pulse of the masses
The election results prove that Rahul’s attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the slogan ‘Chowkidar chor hai’ (The watchman is a thief) made no impression on the masses. In a Congress campaign that saw Rahul taking the lead while Sonia remained in the background, the rural voters could not understand the intricacies of the Rafale fighter jet deal that the Congress chief explained to them. In other words, though Rahul worked tirelessly, he did not read the pulse of the masses.
Priyanka does not make an impact
Priyanka Gandhi was the party’s general secretary in charge of Eastern Uttar Pradesh. Her persistent campaigning too did not help the Congress. The votes against the BJP split between the Congress and the SP-BSP alliance. Meanwhile, the BJP strengthened its vote bank and made handsome gains in the region. Priyanka also lost some of her sheen after she decided not contest to against Modi in Varanasi at the last moment.
Congress in doldrums
The Congress is going through its biggest crisis after succumbing to the Modi wave in two successive polls. Sources in the party indicated that Rahul would carry out a major revamp following the drubbing. Interestingly, the comment of a senior leader on the election results gives more pointers on the causes for the party’s plight. “In Rajasthan, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his deputy Sachin Pilot were engaged in one-upmanship. In Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Kamalnath and Jyotiraditya Scindia competed to put their own interests ahead. All this was done at the cost of the party’s prospects in the election. No wonder the voters, who watched everything, chose to avoid the Congress,” he said.
