Vinod Chandrashekhar Dixit
The Indian National Congress, founded in 1885, is the party that led India to freedom from British colonial rule. For decades after Independence, it was the natural party of governance, shaping India’s political, social, and economic fabric. Yet today, the same party finds itself struggling for relevance. Its steady electoral decline raises a critical question: Why did the Congress, once the dominant force in Indian politics, fail to retain the trust of the people?
The Congress dominated India’s post-Independence politics, ruling the country for 54 of the past 78 years, either on its own or as the leader of coalition governments. Congress has been in power for 54 of those 78 years viz. 69% of the time. This includes both single-party majority and Congress-led coalition governments like UPA 2004-2014.The longest continuous rule was the first 30 years: 1947-1977.Since May 2014, Congress has been in Opposition at the Centre.
In the process, the party failed to reform its organization or tackle issues related to its functioning and leadership that contributed to its decline. In 1993, when Ajit Singh with his followers joined the party, it became a majority government under P.V. Narasimha Rao. This single dominant party system did bring political stability to the country. But at the same time, Congressmen took it for granted that India was theirs to govern, and this complacency created many problems. The party has also not thought it fit to groom state-level leaders with a popular base who could galvanize the state units. Congress leaders, starting with the Gandhis, failed to reconnect with the people. Instead, their strategy often relied on simply attacking PM Modi.
Congress is steadily losing its power base across the country, and for good reason. The results in different states are a lesson for the party. The decline and fall of the Congress is a story told time and again, but today the party is at the nadir of its influence in national politics. The Congress’s failure to project a suitable chief ministerial candidate in most elections has harmed its prospects. Its revival depends on addressing its crisis of credibility, encouraging state leaders, and functioning as a vigorous Opposition in Parliament.
Rahul Gandhi, the scion of the Congress, is widely seen as lacking understanding of key issues and depends on aides to provide sound bites to the media. Discarded and discredited politicians are being re-inducted and given important positions of authority. Rahul has yet to prove his capacity as a vote-catcher or to boost the sagging morale of the Congress rank and file.
Critics argue that 60 years of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty brought nepotism, apathy, and corruption. In the last 78 years, those who misused laws and the Constitution mired the country in corruption. PM Modi has often said that Congress promoted the contribution of one family — the Gandhis — while neglecting leaders like Veer Savarkar and Bhagat Singh. In reality, countless people sacrificed their lives during the independence struggle. With the slogan of ‘Congress-mukt Bharat’, the BJP is making a deeper dent. India has changed significantly in the last 15 years, and the new generation wants development and a bold, decisive leader like Modi.
Rahul Gandhi’s hurdles are his inexperience and inaccessibility. His image is seen as aloof. He has not leveraged tools like a personal website or mobile application to connect with people. While he may seem well-intentioned, that has not translated into effective administration or visionary leadership. History shows that a ‘dying party’ can resurrect itself, but Congress continues to suffer from a leadership crisis. Rahul Gandhi is widely perceived as indifferent and incompetent. Launching Priyanka Gandhi was the party’s last desperate gamble. Though she is considered the most capable of her generation of Gandhis, her entry did not eclipse Rahul or give the party a decisive image makeover. In politics, public perception ultimately matters.
The fall of the Congress is not accidental — it is the result of organizational decay, leadership failure, dynastic politics, and disconnect from ground realities. Unless the party rebuilds credibility, empowers regional leaders, and offers a clear alternative vision for development, its revival will remain elusive. The Congress must ask itself: Should Sonia and Rahul focus only on the welfare of people in Congress-ruled states instead of obsessing over Modi? Until it answers that honestly and reforms itself, the Grand Old Party will continue to cede space in India’s changing political landscape.
(The author is a freelancer and can be reached at [email protected])
