New Delhi: Ahead of both national and state elections, political parties, including Congress, conduct surveys to gauge their electoral prospects. Congress currently relies on two key survey agencies to gather insights, but internal disagreements have surfaced over the accuracy and impartiality of these reports. According to some party leaders, the survey results have been questioned, with claims of bias and manipulation favouring specific factions within the party.
Sunil Kanugolu, an election strategist who played a critical role in Congress’ victories in Karnataka and Telangana, has recently seen his influence diminish. After his unsuccessful assessments in Rajasthan, the party’s leadership, including Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge, decided to reduce his authority and brought in another survey agency. Reports suggest that this new agency, despite being intended to diversify insights, mirrors Kanugolu’s reports, raising concerns about the independence of the assessments.
Leaders within Congress have voiced frustration over this issue, claiming that some survey data was allegedly skewed to benefit particular candidates, notably those associated with an ex-chief minister’s faction. This led to the screening committee basing its candidate selections on potentially flawed reports, sparking further internal dissatisfaction. One senior leader remarked that Congress often wins elections not due to the hard work of its strategists but because of the public’s preference for the party, expressing frustration over internal politics overshadowing the broader goals of victory.
Kanugolu, once lauded for his work, notably in Karnataka and Telangana, now faces criticism. His strategies, including Congress’ high-profile campaigns such as “PayCM” in Karnataka, were pivotal in securing recent victories.
However, regional satraps like Ashok Gehlot in Rajasthan were reportedly not aligned with his strategies, leading to the engagement of alternative agencies for survey work.