As the situation continued to worsen on multiple fronts, Congress formulated a strategy to put Sonia Gandhi at the forefront.
Congress appears to have changed its electoral strategy in this Lok Sabha election. There are indications that Sonia Gandhi may once again come to the front seat, and Rahul Gandhi may be seen in the back. It seems that Congress aims to shift the focus away from a direct Modi versus Rahul narrative in this election.
Rahul Gandhi’s team appears to be strategizing to avoid direct involvement in the electoral battle and to mitigate potential blame in case of defeat. With the majority of Rahul’s team opting out of contesting the elections and notable leaders stepping back, it’s evident that they lack confidence in winning. This trend began with former Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who was nominated to the Rajya Sabha citing health concerns. This decision now appears to have repercussions for the party and directly affected the morale of party leaders and workers.
The party faced complications with the Raebareli and Amethi seats as a result. In the rest of Uttar Pradesh, the tickets distributed so far appear to be mere formalities. The conduct of the Gandhi family also suggests a lack of interest in contesting elections. Experts believe that if Priyanka Gandhi intended to contest from Raebareli, she should have started campaigning there after Sonia filed her nomination for the Rajya Sabha. Instead, she chose to stay in Himachal Pradesh for a few days, sparking discussions about her potential candidacy for the Mandi seat. Subsequently, she returned to Delhi and now her next move is awaited.
The enthusiasm Rahul Gandhi showed for the Wayanad seat in Kerala was not displayed for Amethi. Party leaders find themselves unable to comment on this matter and the decision has been left to the Gandhi family. Even the National President of the party, Mallikarjun Kharge, has opted not to contest this time. Among Rahul’s close aides, K.C. Venugopal is the only one actively participating in the electoral fray, likely due to Kerala being a stronghold for the Congress in the entire country.
However, in other states, leaders do not seem to be mustering the courage to contest. Some leaders have already secured themselves by arranging for seats in the Rajya Sabha. These include Ajay Maken, Mukul Wasnik, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Jairam Ramesh, and others. Whereas leaders like Jitendra Singh couldn’t gather the courage to contest the elections.
The recent defeats in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh have given a significant blow to the Congress party. The party appears to be facing challenges as it looks ahead to the 2024 elections. Additionally, Congress made a strategic error by abstaining from the consecration ceremony of Lord Ram’s idol at Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir. There were hopes pinned on Rahul Gandhi’s Nyay Yatra, but it failed to yield the desired results, leading to further setbacks for the party.
Following these events, a series of mistakes continued to occur, creating an increasingly challenging environment for the Congress party. The Income Tax department capitalized on the errors made by those responsible for managing the party’s financial system. While Congress points fingers at the government, it’s apparent that internal oversights and delays in paperwork have contributed to the situation. Ultimately, the party is now bearing the consequences of these missteps. As the situation continued to worsen on multiple fronts, Congress formulated a strategy to put Sonia Gandhi at the forefront.
Initially, she was included in the press conference convened to address the financial crisis. Subsequently, indications began to emerge suggesting that Sonia Gandhi herself would assume leadership. Now, it appears that the focal point of the election campaign will gradually shift towards the party’s National President, Mallikarjun Kharge, and former President, Sonia Gandhi. While Rahul and his sister Priyanka Gandhi are indeed listed as star campaigners, their tours may be fewer in the Lok Sabha elections compared to the state assembly elections.
Another rationale behind this move is that the party can leverage Sonia Gandhi’s presence to play the sympathy card. Sonia possesses her own respected image, acknowledged by both the opposition and the ruling party. During the previous Lok Sabha elections, Sonia Gandhi refrained from campaigning entirely due to health reasons. She only visited Raebareli to file her nomination, with Priyanka Gandhi managing election campaigns for both Raebareli and Amethi Lok Sabha seats.
However, the current scenario is different. Sonia has become active once again. She is slated to participate in the opposition rally scheduled in Delhi today. Subsequently, she will be actively involved in campaigning. On April 6, she will unveil the party’s manifesto at a public gathering in Jaipur and deliver a speech. Although Rahul will also be present, he will take a back seat after Sonia’s arrival.
In addition to these developments, the Congress party has also shifted its focus on key issues. It appears that the party will now prioritize issues that resonate with the common people, rather than solely targeting Prime Minister Modi or the Adani-Ambani. Recent tweets from the Gandhi family and the party predominantly address concerns that directly impact the masses.