निंदक
नियरे राखिए,
ऑंगन कुटी
छवाय।
बिन
पानी, साबुन
बिना, निर्मल
करे सुभाय।।
- कबीरदास
The
commentators and influencers in this country have started writing the epitaph
of the Congress party. They have all the right to believe so because since past
three years or so, the electoral fortunes of the party have seriously dithered,
after the miserable defeat of 2014. Their intense speculation about the future
of the Grand Old Party is something which passionate flag bearers like me cannot
discount, but are profoundly anguished with. The Liberals are angry at us. But
we need to convert that anger into love. I am a Congressman and will remain a
Congress party admirer even if I am the last man standing, although I shall do
everything within my means to prevent that ‘last man’ scenario.
I
know I may be painting a negative picture and some of you who will read you
will definitely mock my assessment. Some of you will also question my locus-standi
for writing this- since I am also part of that very system, albeit a very small
part in which the Congress system works, I am responsible too. And Yes I am. But, considering that I am an eternal
optimist, I shall always say, that even though the initial comment of this
writing will force you to doubt my assessment, I shall always yearn that such
an eventuality shall never come.
Congress
will remain strong and Congress will overcome its present problems. We shall
again redeem India and will not let it slip to the darkness. Our ideals
and ideology is rock solid and our commitment for Secularism is
unflinching. Compassion, brotherhood, love and respect are the pillars which
install the foundation of our basis.
A
lot is being written and a lot is being said. Yes, there are a lot of inherent
flaws with which our inner party system works, but there are innumerable
positives also.
The
honeymoon period of the Modi Government saw the Congress party believing that
since it is the largest and natural political force of governance and the BJP
lacks the ability to solidly govern and administer, it will never be able to
live up to the expectations of people. This has actually led to its complacency
and turning it into a reactive force. “Jab
yeh galitiya karenge, abhi nahi toh 5-10 saal baad humara waqt aayega”
(When they will make mistakes, not today, but eventually after 5-10 years we
will be back in power) was the drawing room chatter of every Congressmen.
Then
came a period, where the superficial layers which gloss the BJP’s incompetence
began to peel off. Failures, after
failures with time- But at the most the Congress acted as a reactionary force,
failing to capitalize the blunders of the ruling dispensation. The single
biggest mistake which critics and admirers alike will admit that the Congress
party in the UPA era failed to build its cadre, especially in states, where it
was weak. An opposition needs a robust and a committed worker. The Congress is
a mass based party and not a cadre based one, yet it has certain unique
organizational strengths, which it could have tapped into. Its frontals are
more or less defunct and at the most have become extremely sycophantic in
nature- with almost no vision or plan of action.
Three
years now into the dark ages of the Modi Government, where the BJP is using
every trick in the political book to expand its hungry fangs to annihilate
India, the Congress is making last ditch attempts to somehow foster an opposition
unity, without much success. The Nitish Kumar fiasco may have its opportunistic
and political strokes, and broad ones indeed, yet the Congress has to somehow
take its share of blame too. I know, I will again be accused of crossing the Lakshman Rekha (Red Line) while I try to
objectively put forth this assessment, but acceptance of failures, is the first
stepping stone to success.
I
have been hinting and posting on Social Media, since
long, that the Congress needs a positive agenda. A solid, implementable
narrative and a new vision to take along those committed liberal voters who
still believe in those ideals on which the edifice our Constitution was laid.
Time and again, I have come to this conclusion that only a positive narrative
can resurrect the Congress.
For
starters, we should look at our own 2014 Manifesto. This 45 page document should
be our Magna Carta to attack and question the BJP. It will give us more
credibility because we shall not be merely criticizing the policies, but also put
forth a positive policy solution. “Had the Congress been in power, there were the
5 steps it would have taken to solve agrarian distress”. “These are the steps
that the Congress party would have taken to create more jobs”.
It
is not that the Congress party is not taking steps to revamp its organizational
structure. Election process will complete this year and a new team is slowly
and steadily been set up. New General Secretary in-charges for states are being
appointed. The Communications department of the party is seeing new faces and a
newer strategy for the same is in place now. Research and Social Media wings have also been refurbished and are
working with new vigour. Yes, we lack in Media Management, and that needs to be
proactively dealt with. A large section of media has
become the mouthpiece for the BJP, and the Congress needs to find an alternate
for the same. There are several deficiencies too, which are well known. These
need to be resolved.
The
voter connect is only possible when you gather small constituencies of groups
together and target your liberal supporters. Laziness, complacency and
arrogance should be done away with. A strong ideological resolve is needed so
as solidify your support base. We all know what ails the Congress party, we
also have some solutions.
No
political party that has a closed system and secretive in nature can function
in a vibrant democracy. We have to open the doors for the converted and to the swing
ones.
The
Congress should aim for opposition unity, but that does not mean that it can
tie up with any political party which is ideologically not at the same page as
the Congress. We have seen that in West Bengal and in Uttar Pradesh. Let us not repeat
that. The Congress should try and build consensus, but if that is not possible,
just leave these regional parties to fend for themselves. We should stop
pandering to them. Let us built our own identity, we were successful because we
had one. We should not leave it. Opposition unity is good for short term goals,
but in the long term, we should strive for our own National space. In states,
where we are dependent on regional satraps, we have only declined. Even if we
win one seat, it should be on our own.
If
we do not implement a positive agenda and restructure ourselves, then even our forefathers,
who so painstakingly built this country, will not forgive us for sending India
to the dark ages.
All
the views expressed in the article by the author are strictly personal.
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