Congress plans to tackle ‘possible’ poaching in Uttarakhand, Punjab

New Delhi: The post-poll feedback from Punjab and Uttarakhand is giving anxious moments to the Congress before counting. Internal reports from both the states suggest that the Congress may fall short of majority. So, the leadership is busy chalking out strategies to save Congress’ lawmakers from possible poaching.
Sources say Congress former president Rahul Gandhi and AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have already held some rounds of consultations. What is more concerning for the leadership is that the party will elect its full-time president after six months and it will have no electoral victory to show then. The party has not won any election since 2019. Congress is getting disappointing survey reports from Uttarakhand and Punjab where it was hopeful of coming to power. If it loses elections in both the states, it will be a major blow like its defeat in Assam and Kerala. The result will have its bearing on the upcoming Assembly polls in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.
In fact, after 2014, the Congress no longer forms a fact-finding committee to ascertain reasons for electoral defeats. This is so because Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra chalk out electoral strategies, and only they have prepared strategies for all the five states as well. Rahul Gandhi had left the party president post after the 2019 debacle, but only he takes all the party decisions even now. All the decisions from removing Amarinder Singh as CM to retaining Navjot Singh Sidhu as PCC chief in Punjab were taken by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra only. So, questions will be raised by the dissenters if the party’s performance is not up to the mark in these elections. Congress is not in the fight in Uttar Pradesh, but the leadership wants the party to touch double digit mark in vote share and get at least 20 seats so that it could make some ground before the Lok Sabha elections. Even if Congress wins Goa, it does not make much sense. So, Uttarakhand and Punjab are more important for the party. The Congress’ focus is on what to do if no party gets a majority in both the states.
With this being the case, the Congress will swiftly pack off its newly elected MLAs in both the states to some safe destinations. In such a situation, the Congress is also planning to go with its staunch rival AAP and even Akalis in Punjab like what it did in Maharashtra where it joined an alliance with Shiv Sena. If AAP fails to form government in Punjab and results throw up a hung Assembly, then the Congress is likely to join hands with the Aam Aadmi Party. This move of the Congress will, however, politically strengthen the newbie party. Similarly, if Congress ends up getting only 35-36 seats and BJP crosses the 30 mark, then horse-trading cannot be ruled out in the hill state.