Congress or the Indian National Congress (INC) is one of two major political parties in India. It was founded in 1885 and played a leading role in India’s Independence movement. It has ruled during most of India’s independent years and gave the country its first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. Leadership of the Congress too has been dominated by the Nehru-Gandhi family.
The Congress is a center-left party, and lists on its website democracy, nationalism, secularism, inclusive growth and social justice as its core values. It last ruled India between 2004 and 2014, but has since lost its sway, being reduced to just 52 seats in the 2019 General Elections. INDIA, the alliance headed by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, was an attempt to bring together opposition parties against the BJP government for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Together, the INDIA Alliance secured 238 of the 543 seats in the Lok Sabha. The Congress won 99 of these.
What is the diff between CON in 2004 & now?Then ,SoniaG was younger.She had the strength. BJP’s Hindutwa was dwindling. She,also,had the acumen 2 accumulate others, formed the Gov. In Gandhi/Nehru bastion, the oldies R the spokes. Rahul Gandhi, fully matured or nt,is the only solution .
Every one praising BJP/Modi. But is it not a fact that 15% of Indians are being made to feel unwanted in the country. ?
CAA protests can be Easily handled if BJP top brass goes and talks to Muslims But that is infradig for them. BJP is reviving Two nation option,just wait and see dear Bhagats.
Yogendra Yadav is simply a wailer and just not getting it. The workers in the Congress party are not working for the Nation. They are only working for the ‘families-in-command’ who are trying to keep themselves somehow relevant to cut deals for their own protection. Scindia realizes that quite well, and is no more willing to be a stooge for the families-in-command. Period !
It is very very easy to destroy anything. what requires character and effort is to build or create something. The author has miserably failed in that sense.
very true. Yogendra’s analysis is pretty sound as long as he does not think “congress”. Yogendra-ji, remember German history and what happened to SPD and the communists because they failed to trust each other. Instead of taking pot-shots at the congress, try for opposition unity – congress and all!!!
More Congress sustains life, more it will harm India. Crooks like YY must vanish from India as they play destructive politics. Anti-CAA propagandas have made it clear who is enemy and who is friend of India.
Why India was a colony for 1000 years, look no further than the congress party.
Politicians in that party are smart creative some mass leaders but at the end of the day they all say the same thing, Nehru Gandhi dynasty is their savior. Such a blind devotion and slavish mentality even when getting education from prestigious institutions here and abroad.
On top of this media like this author writes heaps of praise to an entity which only begets slavish mentality and subservience to Nehru Gandhi dynasty.
For his own reasons the author has put a halo on the Congress (I), which is just the most successful offshoot of the original INC. In no way can it be compared to its parent the original party. Bequeathing it some ‘historical role’ is hyperbole and sycophancy. It is nothing more than a family enterprise where the primary loyalty is to one family. Party members compete in sycophancy and rewards are based on that. Remember ‘ India is Indira..’ slogan. Every ill that now blights India is a legacy of this party, even if it is not the sole reason. Like every organisation it has seen ups and is now down. If it deserves to come back it will else something else will take it’s place. No need to shed tears.
Yes you are right
Sonia has visceral hatred for Hindus. Congress party, since Nehru, has been working hard to make Hindus forget their civilizational heritage and give them a false rootless identity. The Hindus of this country are finally waking up to this monumental fraud they have been subjected to. The Congress party that has been waging a cultural genocide on the Hindus deserves to die.
Yes exactly
If the Congress goes, perhaps an AAP can take its place , if Kejriwal changes some of his attitudes. many senior Congressmen may find AAP conducive and help it gain traction in other States, which Kejriwal has found very difficult so far.
Kejriwal can never be a team player. He is a solo artist. That is why he cannot succeed.
Yogendra is as usual clever by half.
1. There is nothing wrong with indian democracy. Modi is a popular leader and BJP is in clear majority at the national level. But at state levels, BJP and opposition parties are evenly matched. But just having a weaker opposition doesnot mean indian democracy is under threat. Insead of Congress as the ruling party, with a clear majority, as was the case till 1990s with weak opposition, we have the BJP in similar position now. If indian democracy was safe then, so it is now. 2. Yogendra’s idea of Republic is his view which is not supported by majority. We cannot have a Republic where majority view is trampled and minority view prevails. We have a Constitution and a truely secular world view by the majority Hindu community. These are enough for nurturing our Republic. 3. A Scindia being in Congress or in BJP is hardly a big issue. Congress could afford to let him go and BJP feels he adds some heft to it. However, if he joins cabinet finally, Modi will possibly get a competent, young minister. It will do good for his cabinet. 4. Whether Congress is a political party and a space and also a concept is an attractive sophistry but it only shows Yogendra is nowhere. He was rightly kicked out of a party. He is badly searching a place for himself. His concept of idea of Republic of India is nothing but his frustration of being nobody in that Republic. However, he should of course keep visiting TV studios. It is a good entertainment at the prime time to watch his theatrical performances as he makes faces, gestures and modulates his voice while pontificating !
Ha Ha – last two sentences hilarious indeed !!!
Nice comment
The wheelers and dealers who would like nothing more than a corrupt and weak government are mourning the loss of Congress which helped them carry their nefarious activities. The Real face of middle men is revealing
The Congress has a sick women as the interim president and a dumb as the only possible future president. Why would the citizens vote for such a stinking party mired by scandals after scandals. The time to redeem the party was the second half of 2014 not 2019 as opined by self serving intellectuals cum liberals. Rahul has worsened the prospects of the party with his buffonry in the psst 5 years.
Republic and it’s notions are a monopoly of the few it seems. Mr Yadav’s version of the republic and democracy. Education do makes people arrogant and it tends to make him think on behalf of the people. He is just one among 1300 million people who had their own idea of democracy and the republic. If majority are happy that their democracy and their republic is making progress…our Modern day son of Gods, will tell us why they all are wrong… So yadavcarcy is the system they should follow, Mr Prophet after Mr Mohammed bin Abdullah of Arabia.
Sir, do you support the way present Maharashtra government formation took place?
Are you trying to join Congress to save it??
I think rule of majority with adequate representation of minorities is best solution. Unnatural pushing up of minorities, against majority is sure recipe of a disaster.
By showing these hubris, Congress and people like you have done real disservice to minorities.
We Indians have failed to fulfill Gandhi’s wish of disbanding Congress party after independence.
Very true Yoginder Ji! I truely hope that CONGRESS wakes up from its deep slumber for the sake of India. Otherwise we are going to path of self destruction of secular democracy with no return under BJP.
1. Author has made logical observations. Grand old party called Indian National Congress has lost mass support. 2. As we all know the Congress has actually become a regional party, with less than 50 Lok Sabha MPs. Is it not true that Congress’ national status is already under a threat? 3. Regional parties like RLD, and NCP, with whom Congress has alliances in Bihar and Maharashtra respectively, are seen to dictate terms to the Congress party and the Congress’ top leadership appears to be helpless. This is a very sad situation but perhaps it is a bitter reality. 4. As the author has suggested, future of the Congress party lies in the party rightfully claiming its place as a centrist party. 5. If the Congress seniors do not take into consideration reasons for rapid erosion of voters’ base of the party, no one will be able to save the party. 6. Incidental observations: (a) I wish to say that the Congress party has to review its policy of secularism. Secularism cannot be interpreted to say that the majority should make all sacrifices and minorities (a term which some politicians use to describe people of Islamic faith) be allowed to maintain a separate identity. Congress party leaders should accept that secularism will survive in our country only if it serves interests of the majority community as also of all minorities. (b) Our Constitution is meant for protection of India’s majority. How can provisions of the Constitution be interpreted to cause permanent damage to the vast majority? It is sheer political opportunism and dishonest interpretation of our Constitution to oppose CAA.
Swaraj India? Is this a Party? Do they have any MPs or MLAs? What is the credibility?
Only Media keeps them alive!
Rubbish article by a * Dhimmi*
To be a leader, one must have followers on the ground, not on social media. Does Sanjay Jha and Salman Soz have any followers for Yogendra Yadav to term them as leaders?
The sooner Congress awakes from its slumber, realises its concept and regains its space, the better for the Indian Republic which is in peril.
Are you nuts? Sometimes a lemon is just a lemon – no need to psychoanalyze it. Can you not see a “leader” who’s been sidelined and has decided to take things into his own hands? Yadav-ji, is this a case of “sour grapes”?
If wishes were horses beggar would ride. This is a popular saying. Yogendra Yadav says BJP is dismantling the republic and hence we need Congress much more today. There cannot be a bigger distortion of truth than this. BJP under Modi has been reelected because it built toilets for the poor, gave gas cylinders for those woman who burnt wood for cooking, electrified all villages, made good roads, eased a lot of government procedures for benefit of common man, the man at top himself is abaulutely non corruptible and rules with iron hands, article 370 removal ,CAA, insurance for the poor and many more…..if that is called dismantling the republic then yes Modi should get the credit for dismantling the old Congress structures where corruption and communalism was the hallmark of the Sonia led administration, where a Oxford educated supposed scholar was a mere spectator and where all the mediamen of low morals and corrupt tendencies flourished. So Modi has dismantled that and we are proud of him. In the process if Sonia’s advisor or inner coterie man Yogendra Yadav is having a hard time then he is well deserved victim of this collateral damage. And I am surprised that everyday a new Congress Lackey writes article here in The Print but never talks about Congress corruption or its open policy of Muslim appeasement due to which it lost 2 successive elections. Sonia Gandhi made an open call to Imam Bukhari of Jama Masjid to ask Muslims to vote for congress in 2014. The people of India answered her in the way she understands and in 2019 told her that 2014 election of Modi was no fluke. Yogendra Yadav is either foolish or trying to be naive in not understanding the reasons for congress decline. If he thinks that he and Congress spokies like Shekhar Gupta, Suhas Palshikar, Prof Apoorvanand of DU, Harsh Mandar from Sonia’s inner coterie, Pratap Bhanu Mehta, another self proclaimed scholar and many others… can mislead people while remaining silent on congress’s corruption and communalism then they are living in fool’s paradise.
Congress is a sinking ship. All congressmen must join Trinamool congress without any delay.
Fine, thoughtful column. The family / high command, it is becoming painfully obvious, is not upto the task of reviving the Congress party. They are banking, as happened in 2004, although that was driven by the South, that the incumbent will become unpopular and lose power. Victory by default. 2. A decade in power masked many inadequacies of the family. In the harsh light of adversity, there is no place to hide. They are not mass leaders, unlike Mrs Gandhi, who could go above the heads of weak colleagues and regional leaders and forge a bond with the people. They do not even have the sagacity to manage the intrigues of a large political formation. Give deserving people their due. 3. If the incumbent continues to underperform, it might lose power. Such passivity on the part of the principal opposition party hurts democracy. The Gandhis are taking the Titanic down. Everyone, like Mr Scindia, who is able bodied, is finding a small boat and rowing away. Kuchh Mutiny on the Bounty honi chahiye …
BJP will be shown the door by the poor economy, y as in any country… It so happens, the odds are high in India.
keep dreaming
Sure, It is more sweet
What’s Congress? It is nothing but Sonia-Rahul-Priyanka. Rest are all chamchas or dalals.
Usual rant from a disappointed liberal
100% agree!
They’re not liberals. It’s high time we call a spade a spade. They’re opportunitist with little regard to any ideology what so ever. Let’s reclaim the word Liberal. It’s Hinduism that’s liberal & India is liberal because of Hinduism and not because it’s mentioned in our Constitution.
I really find BJP liberal on economic front & on cultural front it’s safe to call it a centrist party.
Not a liberal but a prejudiced partisan.