Editorial: Can Shivir do it for Cong?

There is no doubt that the Chintan Shivir of the Congress, scheduled to happen from May 13, will be a serious effort at restructuring the party and analysing its performance with an Empowered Action Group in the offing to address political challenges ahead.

Most Congress supporters would agree that an effort of this kind was urgently needed after the party’s disastrous performance in the five state Assembly polls in February-March when it was ousted from Punjab and came nowhere near power in states like UP, Uttarakhand and Goa.

The parliament polls of 2024 are still a good two years away and this is the opportune time for the Grand Old Party to take a relook at its botched up strategies to win votes. With leaders like West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee not even keen on any pan-India alliance involving the Congress against the BJP led NDA, the party’s fortunes have no doubt hit the nadir.

If there is one reason why the Congress has been unable to match the BJP poll after poll, it is the abysmal lack of committed, popular and dynamic leaders who can convince people that they are a better alternative that whatever the BJP can offer. Tom-tomming on past glory and the role of the Congress in securing the country freedom are just not enough to sweep polls for voters are not convinced that Congress leaders from the local to the top rung are a better choice than what the BJP has.

For instance, in a state like Karnataka, the Congress has a real chance of going to the grassroots and making people realise that polarisation attempts, divisive politics and shocking levels of corruption have shattered the image of a well governed state it hitherto enjoyed. It’s only when democratic and secular leaders committed to the ideal of a harmonious society, present a better alternative to a communally divided state that people would venture to rethink their electoral choices. And for this, the Congress needs clean and acceptable leaders who can win hearts with their oratory and their dedication to the public cause.

It’s still not too late to revive a party which has a huge network of workers across every village and town in the country who despite the lure of the saffronists, remain steadfastly committed to the Congress and its ideals.

That however does not solve the leadership vacuum in the Congress with an ailing Sonia Gandhi hardly visible during the Assembly poll campaign. It’s unlikely that the party will be able to find a leader other than Rahul Gandhi for the numero uno position as most seniors have drifted away or are sulking in the sidelines.

These are crucial issues which the Chintan Shivir, one hopes will deliberate at length and come up with viable and workable solutions so that India has a credible political alternative other than the BJP.