The Congress and the BJP are arch-rivals in the Indian political setup. Both the parties project themselves as polar opposites and blame each other. However, in the recent past, the Congress party has miserably failed in fighting the BJP, and indeed, it indirectly helped the Saffron party to consolidate. Here are the six reasons why the Congress can’t fight the BJP.
Congress failed to protect its governments
Since 2014, the Congress has lost 7 governments to the BJP, and in some cases, it failed to form the government despite being the Single Largest Party. Congress lost governments in Arunachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Puducherry, and Maharashtra. IIn Manipur and Goa, the BJP managed to grab power after breaking the Congress legislature party. Congress party’s weak leadership and their inefficiency to set their house in order have cost them governments.
Regional parties thwarting BJP’s rise
Be it the BRS in Telangana, AAP in New Delhi, TMC in West Bengal, BJD in Odisha, or CPI(M) in Kerala, only the regional forces are containing the rise of the BJP, not Congress. Despite mobilizing all their resources, the BJP couldn’t defeat the TMC in Bengal and AAP in New Delhi.
In Telangana too, though the BRS lost power, it was BRS candidates who won over the key figures of Telangana BJP. The Congress fielded weak candidates against the strong BJP candidates in 2019 Lok Sabha elections, bypolls, and 2023 Assembly elections. The same is being replicated in 2024 Lok Sabha polls too.
Congress is weakening regional parties
Ironically, instead of fighting the BJP, the Congress is weakening the regional parties that are fighting the BJP. Rahul Gandhi and the Congress leaders are busy branding all the regional parties as B-Teams of the BJP.
Congress is making false allegations against regional leaders across the country and facilitating the rise of the BJP. By choosing the wrong enemy, Congress is indirectly helping the BJP spread its base.
BJP finds it easy to defeat Congress
Wherever the BJP and the Congress are in direct contest, the BJP easily emerges victorious. The BJP is struggling whenever it is up against regional parties. Hence, the BJP targets regional parties by implicating them in false cases using the CBI and ED or making them their alliance partners.
Congress candidates withdrawing from contest
In a surprising turn of events, Congress is even finding it difficult to field candidates against the BJP. Recently, the Congress party’s Indore MP candidate left the contest and joined the BJP. In Surat, the BJP candidate was elected unopposed as the Congress couldn’t even field its nominee. Also, in states like Telangana, Congress leaders like Revanth Reddy are allegedly in cahoots with Narendra Modi and are fielding weak candidates.
Weak leadership
All the latest political developments and the Congress party’s approach indicate that it has given up the fight against the BJP.Despite being in opposition for 10 years, the Congress has utterly failed to make any gains and has only deteriorated with each passing day, while the regional parties are gradually picking up. A lack of formidable leadership and the absence of a cohesive strategy have sounded death knell for the Congress.