The BJP’s leadership, strategies, and public support consistently disadvantage Congress.
New Delhi: The Congress party’s recurring struggles when directly contesting against its chief rival, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), were once again evident in the recent Haryana Assembly elections. Despite contesting all 90 seats independently and without alliances, Congress managed to win only 37 seats. The BJP, despite facing 10 years of anti-incumbency, performed relatively well, winning 48 seats and securing a third consecutive victory. This outcome underscores the party’s difficulty in directly competing with the BJP in recent years.
Congress’s poor performance has exposed its larger electoral challenges. The BJP’s strong leadership, effective strategies, and broad public support have consistently placed Congress at a disadvantage. Even Congress’s allies, such as Shiv Sena (UBT), Trinamool Congress (TMC), DMK, and AAP, have started criticizing Congress’s “overconfidence.” Many now argue that Congress should take a secondary role in future elections, allowing regional allies to lead in states where they are stronger. The growing sentiment within the I.N.D.I.A. bloc is that Congress does not accommodate regional parties in states where it considers itself strong, while it seeks support in states where it has a smaller footprint.
One of the core issues contributing to Congress’s decline is its tendency to overlook the weaknesses within its regional units. The party’s central leadership often fails to address local issues or deficiencies, leading to discontent and disorganization. In contrast, the BJP takes a hands-on approach, promptly addressing problems and resolving them efficiently through its leadership, giving it a strategic advantage.
Candidate selection has also harmed Congress. In Bahadurgarh, despite strong anti-incumbency, Congress fielded MLA Rajendra Singh Joon, overlooking Rajesh Joon, who won as an independent. Similar missteps were seen in Faridabad and Ambala. The BJP, on the other hand, is more attuned to ground realities, contributing to its superior candidate selection and stronger performance.
Congress’s struggles are not limited to Haryana. In Jammu and Kashmir, the party won only 6 out of 39 seats, with its alliance partner, the National Conference, performing better. Last year, Congress also lost elections in key states like Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan, while the BJP won in Uttarakhand. These losses in northern India highlight Congress’s difficulty in direct contests with the BJP.
The disappointing outcome in Haryana has come at a critical time for Congress, which is now engaged in seat-sharing talks with its Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies in Maharashtra. Following the defeat, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders like Priyanka Chaturvedi have urged Congress to reassess its strategy, emphasizing that Congress tends to weaken when it faces a direct fight with the BJP. This defeat could influence upcoming seat-sharing negotiations in Maharashtra.
Political analysts believe that Congress’s biggest challenge lies in its inability to grow in states where it directly competes with the BJP. While Congress nearly doubled its tally in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, winning 27 of its 99 seats from north India, the BJP secured a massive 154 seats from the same region. This stark contrast underscores Congress’s struggles in direct battles against the BJP in the north.
In 2023, Congress formed the I.N.D.I.A. bloc with 34 other parties to challenge the BJP in the 2024 elections. While Congress contested alone in 15 states and union territories, it performed well in the south, defeating the BJP in Karnataka and the BRS in Telangana. However, in northern states, Congress relies heavily on allies, forming strong partnerships with regional parties in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.